Empire of Rubber

Timely topic: This is a story of racial exploitation and environmental devastation in a small African country, by an American multinational company; also a riveting chapter in African American history, featuring W.E.B. DuBois and other key leaders, telling the story of Jim Crow overseas.

Strong genre: Books such as Greg Grandin's Fordlandia (42,000 copies sold across HC and TP) about similar events have performed exceptionally well.

Major Prize contender: Like Caroline Elkins' Pulitzer Prize-winner Imperial Reckoning, this is a major historical expose and powerful narrative history.

Leading Expert: Mitman is one of the nation's leading environmental and medical historians.

Groundbreaking/controversial research: Much of the book is based on little-known archives and original reporting in Liberia.

Multimedia project: Mitman is completing a documentary film on Liberia and a companion website on the rubber industry there, with a seven-figure grant from a leading global foundation.