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November 25, 2009
50 in 50: #14: Mayflower
I love Thanksgiving, and the incredible story of the Pilgrims . . . so devout, so determined and so completely unprepared to leave the comfort of Holland (where they were holed up after leaving England because of religious differences) to start a new life on the harsh coast of Massachusetts.
That’s why I love Pilgrims: A Story of Courage, Community and War by Nathaniel Philbrick. It’s a fascinating retelling (and truth-telling: Mr. Philbrick debunks many myths) of the people who arrived in Plymouth in 1620, surviving almost impossible odds and leaving their mark on our heritage.
But I have to confess: I abandoned the book before the end. Mr. Philbrick isn’t content to conclude with the successful settlement of Massachusetts; he feels compelled to recount the sordid tale of King Philip’s War of 1675, when the now-established colonists, hungry for more territory, massacred 60 to 80 percent of the Native Americans living in the region.
Especially at Thanksgiving, I prefer to focus on the positive parts of the story: the intrepid Pilgrims and the generous Massasoit Indians giving thanks for the bounty of the land by breaking bread together.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Posted by Alison Davis at November 25, 2009 02:24 PM
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