Kayleen (jegka) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 162 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 6
I am NOT a history buff, but one page in I was hooked. Philbrick not only tells what the Pilgrims did (how they got there, how they survived) but what gave them the perspective to make the decisions they did. Reading this the Pilgrims, Natives and Londoners gained depth and personalities far over what I remember from history class.
I picked this up mainly as a reference book but enjoyed it as a story. Philbricks sense of irony is wonderful. The first two sections moved faster for me than the settlement and wars, but it was all well researched and written and easy to read.
I picked this up mainly as a reference book but enjoyed it as a story. Philbricks sense of irony is wonderful. The first two sections moved faster for me than the settlement and wars, but it was all well researched and written and easy to read.
Helpful Score: 5
For History buffs, this is a GREAT book. Very easy to read, and so much more than just the story of the Mayflower - it is a story about the start of our country. A wonderfully written book
Linda S. (Ladyslott) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 113 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Fascinating. Everything I thought I knew about the Pilgrims was totally wrong. A book that busts the whole "Thanksgiving, Plmouth Rock" mythology out of the water. A must read for anyone really serious about learning the true history of our founding fathers.
Sharon R. (hazeleyes) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 331 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Quite different from what we were taught when I went to grade school in Massachusetts. One has to wonder about textbook authors.
I believe this is well researched and probably as accurate as it is possible to be. It's well written and explains a lot that our school history texts did not explain or glossed over. There may be other contemporary accounts that are good also but I feel privileged to have read this one and am happy that I did.
I believe this is well researched and probably as accurate as it is possible to be. It's well written and explains a lot that our school history texts did not explain or glossed over. There may be other contemporary accounts that are good also but I feel privileged to have read this one and am happy that I did.
Edward F. (fernley) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
First off let me say this was a VERY GOOD book. This author is a favorite of mine. Very readable and clearly well researched.
HOWEVER: This book stands everything we commonly learned in third grade and now presume about the Pilgrims, Thanksgiving and the historically familiar cast of characters upside down.
So much for the lovable image of happy Pilgrims living alongside the natives of Cape Cod!
HOWEVER: This book stands everything we commonly learned in third grade and now presume about the Pilgrims, Thanksgiving and the historically familiar cast of characters upside down.
So much for the lovable image of happy Pilgrims living alongside the natives of Cape Cod!
Helpful Score: 2
This book was interesting. Changes how you view the Pilgrims. Only problem was there were a lot of names in the book.
Donna K. (tomeworm) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 52 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I really liked this book. Took me awhile to finish reading it, but you can surely put yourself right back in the times and begin to feel what life must have been like then. And that is not exactly how we had been taught to understand it. Very informative, great book.
Judy K. (judyk) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 14 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
I have to admit, I could barely finish this book. I enjoyed the first part about the journey and setting up the colony, especially correcting my mistaken impressions. Unfortunately, I could not keep the individual tribes straight so everything ran together as the book got more into the Indian troubles and war. And I was a history major!
Helpful Score: 2
This is an awesome book that gives new depth to the understanding of the Mayflower immigrants, and the Native Americans. It explains a lot about the relationships of the sailors, saints and strangers who were on the journey. It also goes into the hurricane that hit the ship, toppled the main mast and how the pilgrims were able to use a press they brought aboard ship to save the voyage. It goes into detail about the precarious Billington boys and how they almost blew up the ship. Another interesting character is Stephen Hopkins who was hired by the Virginia Co. and brought
along is pregnant wife Elizabeth who had the baby Oceanus at sea. It also goes into the King Phillip War a generation later. This book brings history to life and gives new perspective on the Pilgrim's adventures.
along is pregnant wife Elizabeth who had the baby Oceanus at sea. It also goes into the King Phillip War a generation later. This book brings history to life and gives new perspective on the Pilgrim's adventures.
Norma B. (Norbe) - , reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 27 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Book is very detqiled by years of the settlement of early New England!! I found myself having to review previous chapters in order to keep everything in context. There is much information that is not easily available regarding this part of our history.
recommend for the interested huistorian!!!!
recommend for the interested huistorian!!!!
Helpful Score: 1
I really had no desire to read this book, but it was a required text for a class. I was immediately drawn into this non-fiction story about the beginning of the settlement at Plymouth Rock. The story is written as a novel, but is historically accurate and includes all of the data for history buffs in the back. It tells the story of the ex-communicated Puritans' journey from the Netherlands. Their initial destination was the mouth of the Hudson River, yet they ended up at Cape Cod, and eventually Plymouth.
From one who hates the requisite memorization of history, dates and the like, I truly enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend it to anybody.
From one who hates the requisite memorization of history, dates and the like, I truly enjoyed this book. I would highly recommend it to anybody.
Helpful Score: 1
This was a surprising look at the history of the Mayflower and I thought I knew my history! I liked it enough to pass it on to my son and grandson to read before their vacation to New England this summer.
Helpful Score: 1
For historians which like a good story with enough factual information to leave any doubt of the validity of the info there in, you will be enthralled as was I. This is an in-depth look by Nathaniel Phillbrick at the founding of Plymouth Colony, how these English religious zealots survived those early years. It also tells the story of how the Indians of this area help these colonist, and are wiped out with disease and war. The author says over 30 million Americans now claim DNA relationship to the passengers of the Mayflower. I liked the book and have recommended it to friends as I am now doing to you. If you think it suits your literary palate, you might try it.
Leslie L. (genealogygeek) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 47 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
I loved this book! Well written, easy read. Couldn't put it down. Thoroughly researched history of the Mayflower and its passengers. A must-read for any of the 30 million Americans who descend from a Mayflower passenger.
R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 1452 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
What an interesting book! A huge research undertaking as one can tell by the 27 page bibliography, Philbrick details the Pilgrim settling in our country. It is difficult to summarize this read in a short review but I'll try. Philbrick begins with the planning and arrangements which were made as the Pilgrims prepared to leave their Dutch homes. Inexperienced and naive, they made so many planning mistakes that they arrived on our shores with depleted food stores. The Pilgrims were so ill prepared to make their homes in an unsettled area that it is a wonder they survived and probably would not have done so except for the aid of Massasoit's hand of friendship. Accustomed to living in populated areas, they learned as they lived and many perished because of the harsh conditions. Imagine arriving on our east coast in December, having to locate a place to build your home and then building in the midwinter.
The first Thanksgiving was far different from what we learn in grade school as the group feasted primarily on wild game and native grown corn and squash. They ate standing because of the lack of furniture, all of which needed to be built as needed. All went well until the second generation which did not understand the harsh conditions under which their parents survived. As with any clash of cultures, misunderstandings began to arise until war finally broke out between the settlers and the Indian tribes. At first inter-tribal warring continued until it became apparent that in order to survive they must band together. Both sides committed atrocity after atrocity.
Some of the settlers came to believe that the only good Indian was a dead Indian. Indeed, passions became so fierce that at one point even friendly Indians were imprisoned, killed and/or isolated from the settlers. Until the settlers learned that the only way to fight hostile groups was to fight as they did rather than as Europeans, it appeared that the Indians would push the settlers into the ocean. While many names are mentioned, one that struck me as instrumental in settler survival was Benjamin Church who recruited friendly natives into his forces and successfully pursued the hostiles.
The first Thanksgiving was far different from what we learn in grade school as the group feasted primarily on wild game and native grown corn and squash. They ate standing because of the lack of furniture, all of which needed to be built as needed. All went well until the second generation which did not understand the harsh conditions under which their parents survived. As with any clash of cultures, misunderstandings began to arise until war finally broke out between the settlers and the Indian tribes. At first inter-tribal warring continued until it became apparent that in order to survive they must band together. Both sides committed atrocity after atrocity.
Some of the settlers came to believe that the only good Indian was a dead Indian. Indeed, passions became so fierce that at one point even friendly Indians were imprisoned, killed and/or isolated from the settlers. Until the settlers learned that the only way to fight hostile groups was to fight as they did rather than as Europeans, it appeared that the Indians would push the settlers into the ocean. While many names are mentioned, one that struck me as instrumental in settler survival was Benjamin Church who recruited friendly natives into his forces and successfully pursued the hostiles.
Paul C. (Paul-RLT) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 176 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This non-fiction book begins with the Puritans in England, their emigration to Holland and then to the "New World" via the Mayflower. Most of the book deals with the Plymouth settlement and then the brutal King Philip's War. The book is factual and neutral presenting a fair view of both the English and the Indians. Having read this, one comes away with a better understanding of the complexities of the period. For those living in New England especially Massachusetts, there is the added fascination of reading about familiar names and places. Great read even for those not inclined to "history".
Helpful Score: 1
Interesting book on the Pilgrims, but also a lot of the book is spent covering the different Indian wars during the period.
Jacky K. (Jacky) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 174 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Has anybody ever heard of King Philip's War? I hadn't either but that is just one of the fascinating accounts from this book filled with little known facts of the Pilgrims settling in the "New World." As usual Mr. Philbrick has done a stellar job of making history very readable.
Teresa H. (WarEagle78) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 337 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
History written tightly enough to be a novel is one of my favorite genres, and Philbrick certainly has the touch. I found myself facinated by the lives and foibles of the Pilgrims, and facinated by their history. Even the King Philip's War section was intriguing, although war reading it not usually for me. I read the book in November so had the Pilgrims firmly in mind as we entered the Thanksgiving season.
Philbrick is never boring.
Thomas F. (hardtack) -
This is a fascinating account of the early settlement of the Pilgrims and Puritans in the northeast U.S. Yet it also covers their history and interaction with the local American Indian tribes. In fact, the latter takes up much of the second half of the book. And he covers the Indian wars, especially King Philips' War, in detail.
And the author lets us know that, aside from a few in the early days, most Pilgrims and Puritans didn't think their belief in Christian values extended to the native peoples. Actually, that last sentence might be considered an understatement. The early settlers made a lot of money buying Indian lands cheaply and selling many Indians, including friendly tribes, as slaves to plantation owners in the Caribbean. That is, except for those Indian men women and children they killed by the hundreds. But then, that is what the other Indian tribes did to nearby tribes too.
One interesting piece of trivia the author passes on is that in 1741, over a hundred years after the Pilgrims landed, a 95-year-old man pointed out "an undistinguished rock" and stated his father told him that was where the Pilgrims first stepped foot on American soil. And thus a legend was born. The rock was later buried to help form a pier. Later it was dug up to be moved to the center of Plymouth. But it broke in two, and since this was after the American Revolution, the "Loyalist' portion of the rock was left buried, while the rest was moved. Souvenir hunters significantly reduced the size of the rock by chipping off pieces. Later it was moved to Pilgrim Hall, but while being it moved it broke in half and was cemented back together. Thus are our myths created.
And the author lets us know that, aside from a few in the early days, most Pilgrims and Puritans didn't think their belief in Christian values extended to the native peoples. Actually, that last sentence might be considered an understatement. The early settlers made a lot of money buying Indian lands cheaply and selling many Indians, including friendly tribes, as slaves to plantation owners in the Caribbean. That is, except for those Indian men women and children they killed by the hundreds. But then, that is what the other Indian tribes did to nearby tribes too.
One interesting piece of trivia the author passes on is that in 1741, over a hundred years after the Pilgrims landed, a 95-year-old man pointed out "an undistinguished rock" and stated his father told him that was where the Pilgrims first stepped foot on American soil. And thus a legend was born. The rock was later buried to help form a pier. Later it was dug up to be moved to the center of Plymouth. But it broke in two, and since this was after the American Revolution, the "Loyalist' portion of the rock was left buried, while the rest was moved. Souvenir hunters significantly reduced the size of the rock by chipping off pieces. Later it was moved to Pilgrim Hall, but while being it moved it broke in half and was cemented back together. Thus are our myths created.
Alejandrina P. (alejita) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 2 more book reviews
Excellent, detailed but not overwhelming history of the arrival of the Mayflower and subsequent wars of settlement. Immensely readable, journalistic style.
Lively and readable.
Carol F. (cactusflowerwomen) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 628 more book reviews
Wow - what an enlightening book. Though I knew the sanitized version of the voyage of the Mayflower, the pilgrims and puritans in New England and the alleged landing at Plymouth Rock was no doubt extremely whitewashed, I had no idea to what extent.
Though I occasionally bogged down in the details, I was more often fascinated by all that I learned. It was very well written and at least gets a partial view of the native american versions of what really occured. Now I am order "In the Heart of the Sea" by the same author, and have very high expectations of loving it too!
Though I occasionally bogged down in the details, I was more often fascinated by all that I learned. It was very well written and at least gets a partial view of the native american versions of what really occured. Now I am order "In the Heart of the Sea" by the same author, and have very high expectations of loving it too!
One of the most interesting books about race, religion and the begining of our country.
Very interesting history of the Mayflower settlers and their struggles. The book tends to drag on a bit and needed to push myself to get through, but glad I did.
Lots of great history. Very interesting at the beginning and end. Bogs down in the middle with overwhelming detail.
Kathy S. (nana23) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 243 more book reviews
Excellent story of how things really were for our forefathers.
Kathleen L. (noisynora) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 130 more book reviews
I really liked this book - this author is amazing. His attention to detail and research are wonderful. Very interesting if you are a New Englander, especially - quite honestly, this should be a required text in schools - not the crap that has become the "norm". Very engaging - DOES NOT read like a dry history text.
I actually despised this book. I didn't like how he dropped in out-of-timeline pieces that were distracting to the story's progression. I thought the book was overburdened with details that smothered any chance of creating readable impressions of the people involved. I will never pick up another book by this author. If you are a history buff with a lot of familiarity with the time period/events he covers, you might enjoy this. For anyone else: walk away. Quickly.
Linda P. (katknit) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 355 more book reviews
Very interesting account of Plymouth Colony and its founding. Nonfiction but reads almost like a novel.
Dana W. (SouthWestZippy) -
I am not going to write up a synopsis because I just don't want to. It is a dry read and had a hard time getting into and retaining information. Research is there but still hints of speculation here and there because there is not a lot of first accounts stories around and if they are they are usually one sided accounts. Yep, that is all I want to say.
Kimberly A. (karisma) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 5 more book reviews
A great history novel of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans.
Verena O. (mrsotey) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 10 more book reviews
Nathaniel Philbrick became an internationally renowned author with his National Book Award winning In the Heart of the Sea, hailed as spellbinding by Time magazine. In Mayflower, Philbrick casts his spell once again, giving us a fresh and extraordinarily vivid account of our most sacred national myth: the voyage of the Mayflower and the settlement of Plymouth Colony. From the Mayflower's arduous Atlantic crossing to the eruption of King Philip's War between colonists and natives decades later, Philbrick reveals in this electrifying history of the Pilgrims a fifty-five-year epic, at once tragic and heroic, that still resonates with us today.
Haylen B. (haylen) reviewed Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War on + 28 more book reviews
I wasnt able to get very far in Mayflower. I need a storyline to stay interested.
