{"product_id":"zorg-siddharth-kara-9781250348227","title":"The Zorg | Siddharth Kara","description":"\u003csection class=\"product-description\" style=\"color: #1a1a1a; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6;\"\u003e\n  \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 15px; border-bottom: 2px solid #2c3e50; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eThe Zorg: A Tale of Greed and Murder That Inspired the Abolition of Slavery\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAccolades \u0026amp; Praise\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cul style=\"margin-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eAuthored by Siddharth Kara, a Pulitzer Prize finalist and \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eCelebrated for its painstaking primary-source research and gripping historical storytelling that reconstructs one of the most consequential moral campaigns in history.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eExtended Synopsis\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eIn late October 1780, a slave ship set sail from the Netherlands bound for Africa's Windward and Gold Coasts to take on human cargo. The ship, named the \u003cem\u003eZorg\u003c\/em\u003e (a Dutch word meaning \"care\"), was one of thousands of such vessels, but the harrowing events that ensued on its doomed journey would go down in history as entirely unique and horrific.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eAfter reaching Africa, the ship was captured by a privateer and came under British command. With a new captain and crew, the \u003cem\u003eZorg\u003c\/em\u003e was heavily overcrowded with 442 enslaved people and departed in 1781 for Jamaica. Following a series of unpredictable weather events and catastrophic navigational errors, the ship drifted drastically off course and began running out of water. In response, a brutal proposition was enacted: to save the crew and the remaining \"valuable\" cargo, the captain ordered 133 enslaved Africans to be thrown overboard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eWhat followed was a fascinating and deeply disturbing legal drama in England's highest courts regarding insurance payouts that turned the ruthless calculus of slavery into front-page news. \u003cem\u003eThe Zorg\u003c\/em\u003e meticulously investigates this massacre, catapulting the nascent anti-slavery movement from a minor evangelical cause to a global moral campaign that ultimately sparked the abolitionist movement in both England and the young United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSiddharth Kara\u003c\/strong\u003e is an author, researcher, and activist known for his extensive work investigating modern-day slavery and human trafficking. He is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eCobalt Red\u003c\/em\u003e. Kara utilizes painstaking investigation and primary-source research to uncover hidden historical truths and expose human rights abuses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eReader Targeting\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cul style=\"margin-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eScholars and students of 18th-century modern history, the transatlantic slave trade, and civil rights.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eReaders of narrative nonfiction, legal dramas, and investigative historical literature.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eAnyone interested in the origins and catalysts of the global abolitionist movement.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eBibliographic \u0026amp; Physical Specifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"table-responsive\" style=\"overflow-x: auto; max-width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px; -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n    \u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; min-width: 650px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 0.95em; table-layout: fixed;\"\u003e\n      \u003cthead\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"background-color: #f8f9fa; border-bottom: 2px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 12px 10px; color: #2c3e50; width: 30%; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eSpecification\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 12px 10px; color: #2c3e50; width: 70%; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eDetails\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003c\/thead\u003e\n      \u003ctbody\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e9781250348227\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eISBN-10\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e1250348226\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePublisher\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eSt. Martin's Press\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePublication Date\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eOctober 14, 2025\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eEdition\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eFirst Edition\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePre-Owned \/ Very Good\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eFormat\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eHardcover (Hardbound, Includes Dust Jacket)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePage Count\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e304\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eBISAC Categories\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eHISTORY \/ Modern \/ 18th Century; SOCIAL SCIENCE \/ Slavery\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eDimensions \u0026amp; Weight\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e9.2 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches \/ 1 lbs\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003c\/tbody\u003e\n    \u003c\/table\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat was the \u003cem\u003eZorg\u003c\/em\u003e?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe \u003cem\u003eZorg\u003c\/em\u003e was an 18th-century slave ship. It originally set sail from the Netherlands (with its name translating to \"care\") before being captured by the British. It became infamous for a horrific 1781 massacre where the captain ordered 133 enslaved Africans thrown overboard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy did the events on the \u003cem\u003eZorg\u003c\/em\u003e go to court?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe legal drama that unfolded in England's courts was primarily fought over insurance claims, as the ship's owners attempted to claim financial compensation for the \"loss of cargo\" (the murdered enslaved people), exposing the brutal legal reality of slavery to the public.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow did the \u003cem\u003eZorg\u003c\/em\u003e massacre impact history?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe outrage generated by the court case and the public revelation of the massacre's details catalyzed the British abolitionist movement, shifting it from a small evangelical effort into a massive, consequential moral campaign that eventually helped end the legal slave trade.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n  {\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n      {\n        \"@type\": [\"Book\", \"Product\"],\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/zorg-siddharth-kara-9781250348227#book\",\n        \"name\": \"The Zorg: A Tale of Greed and Murder That Inspired the Abolition of Slavery\",\n        \"author\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Person\",\n          \"name\": \"Siddharth Kara\"\n        },\n        \"description\": \"Siddharth Kara investigates the horrific 1781 tragedy aboard the slave ship Zorg, revealing how these events sparked the abolitionist movement.\",\n        \"isbn\": \"9781250348227\",\n        \"gtin13\": \"9781250348227\",\n        \"sku\": \"1250348226\",\n        \"bookFormat\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/Hardcover\",\n        \"bookEdition\": \"First Edition\",\n        \"datePublished\": \"2025-10-14\",\n        \"numberOfPages\": \"304\",\n        \"inLanguage\": \"en\",\n        \"countryOfOrigin\": \"United States\",\n        \"genre\": [\n          \"HISTORY \/ Modern \/ 18th Century\",\n          \"SOCIAL SCIENCE \/ Slavery\"\n        ],\n        \"image\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9781250348227.jpg?v=1786923849\",\n        \"publisher\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n          \"name\": \"St. Martin's Press\"\n        },\n        \"weight\": {\n          \"@type\": \"QuantitativeValue\",\n          \"value\": \"16.0\",\n          \"unitCode\": \"ONZ\"\n        },\n        \"offers\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n          \"price\": \"15.99\",\n          \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\",\n          \"availability\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/InStock\",\n          \"itemCondition\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/UsedCondition\",\n          \"url\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/zorg-siddharth-kara-9781250348227\",\n          \"seller\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n            \"name\": \"Bust-Down Books\"\n          }\n        }\n      },\n      {\n        \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/zorg-siddharth-kara-9781250348227#faq\",\n        \"mainEntity\": [\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"What was the Zorg?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"The Zorg was an 18th-century slave ship. 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