Those interested in the Underground Railroad, which helped slaves to escape to freedom and was active here in Chester County, might enjoy reading "Gateway to Freedom: The Hidden Story of the Underground Railroad" by Eric Foner, a new book that focuses on abolitionists in New York City. Mr. Foner faced the formidable research challenge of gathering information about "a clandestine, illegal network" whose conductors "left little firsthand evidence of their work," according to the review in the Wall Street Journal. "Even a well-informed historian like Mr. Foner can only guess at how many slaves escaped north in the three decades before the Civil War -- estimates range from 30,000 to more than 100,000. But he merits high praise for contributing solid information and thoughtful analysis to the history of this shadowy, extensive network," wrote reviewer David S. Reynolds.
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