The Slave Trade, by Hugh Thomas, copyright 1997, is not light reading.  This book covers over 400 years.  It begins with Portuguese exploration of the African coast in the 1400’s and over 900 pages later you come to the end of slavery.  This book is really NOT about the American Civil War.  The book’s focus is on what the author calls “the Atlantic slave trade.”  It goes into detail about how the slaves were acquired in Africa.  It is a comprehensive history of the slave trade in Europe, Africa, North America, and South America during which approximately eleven million humans were transported from Africa to bondage.  The research is extensive, so extensive it is easy to get bogged down in it.  There are villains and heroes aplenty.  Diplomats from various countries, slave merchants, clergy, rulers, and, of course, slaves, fill the pages.  The author does not shy away from the extent of profits that were made and why so many African rulers (and tribal organizations) willingly took part in the Atlantic slave trade.  It certainly covers the subject, but it is not casual reading.