Kastor (history and American culture studies, Washington U. in St. Louis) presents 12 essays that aim to reconceptualize the history of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase by focusing on the themes of empire, identity, and memory. Papers examine the nature of political power within the region of the Louisiana Purchase, the impact of the Haitian Revolution on the French decision to cede Louisiana and on American foreign policy, the perspectives on empire revealed in Thomas Jefferson's correspondence with the French intellectual Comte Destutt de Tracy, the demographic politics of Louisiana, contested meanings of French and American identity in the region, and the construction of historical narratives regarding the Louisiana Purchase. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)