Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline:

Grade school failed us all.

Quick synopsis:

The founding of New England. Come on, everyone knows this one.

Fun Fact Non-History People Will Like:

It should never be forgotten that the Pilgrims were actually aiming for Virginia. Oops.

Fun Fact for History Nerds:

By the end of the first year, only 50 of the original 102 passengers were left alive.

My Take:

The Mayflower Compact was a beautiful exercise of free government. Squanto was just a nice Indian who taught the Pilgrims how to farm and all was right with the world. The first Thanksgiving was a celebration of thanks for a successful first year.

Or…

The passengers on the Mayflower had to sign a new document because they screwed up their travel plans, barely survived, and completely missed Virginia and thus needed a new governmental document. Squanto was a somewhat Machiavellian diplomat who was choosing sides because all of his people died in a plague. And the first Thanksgiving was to give thanks… and mourn for the 50%+ death rate in the first year.

And there is so much more to the story. Read this book because the textbooks never cover the good stuff.

Verdict:

This is a great book for anyone and especially if you only know what you are taught in school. If you are too lazy to read, watch Saints & Strangers. Buy the book here!

If You Liked This Try:

• Nathaniel Philbrick, Bunker Hill and Valiant Ambition
• Ron Chernow, George Washington and Alexander Hamilton