This Land Is Their Land – This book puts to rest many of the long-standing myths about the first Thanksgiving. Silverman writes that the Pilgrims and Wampanoags forged their alliance out of necessity, giving greater historical context to the events we center our modern holiday around. He further explains that in grand history of the Pilgrims and Wampangoags, the first Thanksgiving was but a minor event.
Mayflower – Philbrick’s Mayflower is a comprehensive look at the Pilgrims’ settling of Plymouth and of greater New England. He holds nothing back in portraying the complex history of the Native Americans’ relationship to the colonizing Pilgrims. Philbrick writes in an exciting, fast-paced manner, detailing the tragedy and struggle of this time period.
The Name of War – Jill Lepore brings a whole other level of complexity to this region and to the two groups attempting to coexist in 17th century New England. Although taking place after the Pilgrim’s early settlement and the first Thanksgiving, The Name of War helps you to understand the fragile alliances that were formed and broken during this time. More importantly, Lepore argues that it was the colonists’ written words and memory of King Philip’s War that hardened their ideas about the Native Americans and furthered the enmity between them.
-Mike M.
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