The questions raised in the festschrift for Leiden professor Pieter Emmer are ones that are just beginning to be addressed. What were the actual economic benefits of European colonization? How did slavery fit into the colonial mindset? Klooster (history, Clark University)and his contributors look at the movement of Europeans into the colonies and the movement of Africans for slavery as well as the enslavement of indigenous peoples. The emphasis is on Dutch involvement in colonization but French and British experiences are also considered. After considering the slave trade, essays discuss how slaves and slavery were presented in Europe along with the rise of abolition movements. A retrospective look at the agency of the slaves themselves in ending the institution is complemented by an essay on the way that people in the Netherlands have had to confront their past with the recent immigration of the descendants of slaves from their former colonies. The collection as a whole is both informative and thought-provoking. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)