This is a book based on the life of William Weaver, who owned Buffalo Forge. It entails his character, his manipulations of people in order to obtain property, his generosity to his slaves -- even to the extent of placing in his will that his slaves must be treated humanely. This book is very interesting as it goes into great detail of every day life for both the master and slaves, giving the reader a very present sense of being involved in the normal scheme of things. Interesting to note how Weaver gave his slaves time off for Christmas, even allowing them to travel to other places to be with family, and how he allowed them to work overtime in his mills for cash money of which the slaves could buy luxuries for themselves and families. Quite a different kind of book into this man's outlook on slavery. Even though he owned slaves, he never abused them, and even after the war, many chose to remain and work for Brady (after Weaver's death). (Even though slavery has always been wrong, it was a fact of life, and some men were more humane to their slaves. Weaver was one of those men.)

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