Super Short Summary

The Diligent by Robert W. Harms is a microhistory of an 18th-century slave ship voyage. The book uses the detailed journal of First Lieutenant Robert Durant of the French ship Diligent to explore the intricate details of the Atlantic slave trade in the 1730s, focusing on the journey from France to West Africa, where enslaved individuals were bought, and then to Martinique, where they were sold. The narrative covers the socio-economic contexts of France, West Africa, and the Caribbean, examining local histories and the broader implications of the Atlantic slave trade. The book depicts the dehumanizing experiences of enslaved individuals, emphasizing the brutal and inhumane conditions on the ship.