They were not the only enterprising family in the South, but they were amongst the most driven to succeed. They could have remained Virginia planters as was expected of them, with all the privileges associated, but they chose to expand into other businesses, largely by training and developing their slave laborers. The resulting diversification made the family forces in the regional economy, beginning three-quarters of a century before the Revolution and continuing to the great-grandsons' generation at the brink of the Civil War. Kamoie (history, US Naval Academy, Annapolis) not only uses this family as a case study in the development of the southern economy but provides insight into why the south defended what was an indefensible institution. She also explains by this example that the colonial and early US economy was sophisticated and often offered entrepreneurs nothing more than risk. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)