Nathaniel philbrick mayflower review
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About this Blog
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War is an account of the 1620 Mayflower voyage and the subsequent ~56 years of English settlements in the New England area of the United States. It includes details about the devastating war between colonists and some of the area’s native tribes known as King Philip’s War. History buffs should like this one.
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I read Mayflower as part of the 12 Months of Reading Goodness challenge. June’s challenge was to read a book about an historical event. When I introduced the challenge, I mentioned that a couple of historical events celebrate their 100 year anniversaries this month – the Treaty of Versailles was signed and the US Congress propos
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The decision that inom would read Mayflower, a book that has made its way nearly to the top of the New York Times list of bestsellers, took only as long as was necessary for me to understand that it dealt with the Puritan pilgrims who arrived on the shores of American in 1620. Though the story of the ankomst and early struggles of this group of immigrants is now the stuff of legend, inom know surprisingly little about these people. Because this story has entered the realm of legend, it is difficult to know where reality ends and mere fantasy begins. Nathaniel Philbrick, who was awarded the National Book Award for his previous title, In the Heart of the Sea, believes that the oft-told tale of the first Thanksgiving, celebrated between the Pilgrims and the Indians, does not do justice to the history of Plymouth Colony. “Instead of an inspiring tableau of tranquil cooperation, the Pilgrims’ first half-century in America was more of a passion play in whi
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After a brief hiatus for real life, let’s get back to business with some other real life: non-fiction!
Mayflower, by Nathaniel Philbrick, is, as you may have guessed, an account of the settlers who crossed the Atlantic on a ship called the Mayflower. Often referred to as Pilgrims, these immigrants were not the first to try and settle in North America, but they were one of the first to make it work. Their story has stuck in our consciousness ever since.
Nathaniel Philbrick, however, is not as interested in the establishment of the settlement near Plymouth as he is in the Pilgrim’s relationship with the Native Americans. He looks at how the relative success of the new settlement shaped the future of the region, culminating in King Phillip’s War, which saw the beginning of the end of a significant native presence in New England.
Don’t be concerned by my synopsis. The author gives plenty of background on the people who sailed on the Mayflower, why they wanted to go and the diffic