*
From the Library Journal
In his latest masterpiece, Hodgson (visiting journalism professor, City Univ., London; More Equal Than Others: America from Nixon to the New Century) explains in vivid and fascinating detail who the 17th-century Puritans were (they referred to themselves as "the godly"), why they fled England (and later Holland) to emigrate to uncharted America, and how they struggled to establish a religious refuge amid internal and external opposition. Additionally, he offers a provocative discussion of the evolution of the Thanksgiving holiday, debunking the myths about its origin and showing how it was later exploited for religious, political, and commercial purposes. Hodgson's meticulous research provides compelling new insights into the Pilgrims' daily lives and their hostile and eventually violent interactions with the Wampanoags and other Native Americans. Both similar in scope and style to Nathaniel Philbrick's equally masterly The Mayflower, Hodgson's work is much more concise but only slightly less informative and comprehensive. A tremendous boon to American historical scholarship, this book will be enjoyed by scholars and lay readers alike. Recommended for all libraries, though small libraries could get by with Philbrick's title. Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
No comments:
Post a Comment