The Zorg

'A horrific tale of the slave trade, destined to become a classic' New York Times

* PEN Literary Award Finalist 2026* New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2025* Time’s 100 Must Read Books of 2025* The New Yorker 12 Essential Non-Fiction Reads 2025

From the author of New York Times bestseller and Pulitzer Prize Finalist 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.

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 the 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. The ship's owners then claimed their loss on insurance, a first for slaves who had not been killed due to insurrection or died of natural causes.

The insurers refused to pay due to the higher than usual mortality rate of the slaves on board, leading to a trial which initially found in their favour, in which Chief Justice Mansfield compared the slaves to horses. Thanks to the outrage of one man present in court that day, a retrial was held. 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?

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.

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 shocking true story of one of the most consequential ships that ever crossed the Atlantic.

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