The Zorg

From the New York Times bestselling author of Cobalt Red, discover the incredible true story and page-turning account of the 18th century slave ship that sparked the human rights campaign to end the slave trade. Perfect for fans of David Grann’s The Wager and The Wide, Wide Sea by Hampton Sides.

‘Remarkable, riveting’, Adam Hochschild, historian and bestselling author of King Leopold's Ghost and Bury the Chains

In 1781, the Zorg set off from The Netherlands to West Africa and from there onto the Caribbean. The fateful voyage would alter the course of history forever.

By the time its journey ends, the Zorg would become the first undeniable argument against slavery.

When a series of unpredictable weather events and navigational errors led to slave ship Zorg sailing off course and running low on supplies, the ship's captain threw more than a hundred slaves overboard in order to save the crew and the most valuable slaves. They then claimed the loss on insurance.

In his riveting new book, bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize finalist Siddharth Kara brings history to life, showcasing how the Zorg’s fateful voyage exposed the harsh reality of the slave trade.

For the first time, concepts such as human rights and morality entered the discourse on slavery in a courtroom case that boiled down to a simple yet profound question: Were the Africans on board people or cargo?

The case catapulted the emerging anti-slavery movement to one of the most consequential moral campaigns that changed the course of history.

The Zorg is the astonishing yet little-known true story of one of the most consequential ships that ever crossed the Atlantic.