Two Ships by David Reynolds

Brendan’s Alternate Tagline for Two Ships:

Two ships but plenty of arguments.

Quick synopsis:

A look at American history from the view of two ships, the Mayflower and the White Lion.

Fact for Non-History People:

While the White Lion is credited as being the first ship to bring slavery to the American colonies, the enslaved Africans were sold as indentured servants. Yes, that is splitting the finest of hairs.

Fact for History Nerds:

When the Mayflower returned to England, it only took one month as opposed to the 66 days to reach America.

My Take on Two Ships:

It looks like I owe the Plymouth Colony an apology. See, I often will point to Plymouth as the nexus of American thought when it becomes too judgmental. Admittedly, the Puritans were not known to be a fun time. They might be the American origin of fuddy-duddiness (copyright pending). However, I should have been blaming the Massachusetts Bay Colony the whole time. That said, Two Ships by David Reynolds compares Plymouth with Jamestown and there is no contest about which unleashed the worst aspect of our early American society.

Initially, I thought Reynolds may be doing his own think-piece on how the United States grew out of two completely different places. One, Plymouth, with its Puritanical bend versus Jamestown and the first slave ship to land in the English Americas. What I didn’t realize is that Reynolds wasn’t trying to take credit for this thought. Instead, he is giving an in-depth look at how this philosophical discussion has always been there and never faded. Authors and politicians have used the metaphor of the two ships to show the huge differences which would ultimately result in the Civil War. Reynolds traces this all to England (of course) with the English Civil War of the Roundheads (always hilarious to see in print) and the Cavaliers (which is inarguably a cooler nickname).

Ultimately, what you end up with is part philosophy but mostly great history. This is one of those books that will end up making you think long after you finish the final page.

(This book was provided as an advanced reader copy by NetGalley and Penguin Press.)

Verdict:

Extremely enlightening. Buy it here!

If You Liked This Try:

• H.W. Brands, The Zealot and the Emancipator
• Brenda Wineapple, The Impeachers