What's a good book about the Puritans?
October 26, 2016 7:24 PM
I'd like to read a book about the Puritans, in particular John Winthrop. Any suggestions? Ideally the book would've been written in the past few decades.
More entertaining than academic, but historically sound.
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:28 PM on October 26, 2016
posted by The corpse in the library at 8:28 PM on October 26, 2016
Seconding The Wordy Shipmates. I "heard" Sarah Vowell's voice as I read it, which made it that much more entertaining for me. YMMV.
posted by she's not there at 12:21 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by she's not there at 12:21 AM on October 27, 2016
Edmund S. Morgan's book, The Puritan Dilemma.
It's a biography of John Winthrop and Morgan has a very engaging style. He was also a preeminent historian whose books are still assigned to graduate and undergraduate history classes all over the U.S., so you can trust that his history is sound--that he's using good sources and not making any crazy leaps in logic, etc.
posted by colfax at 3:13 AM on October 27, 2016
It's a biography of John Winthrop and Morgan has a very engaging style. He was also a preeminent historian whose books are still assigned to graduate and undergraduate history classes all over the U.S., so you can trust that his history is sound--that he's using good sources and not making any crazy leaps in logic, etc.
posted by colfax at 3:13 AM on October 27, 2016
The Wikipedia entry for Winthrop draws from Bremer extensively and is a damn good overview! And maybe read some of Winthrop's own writing: http://winthropsociety.com/doc_charity.php
posted by at at 8:40 AM on October 27, 2016
posted by at at 8:40 AM on October 27, 2016
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If you want something more academic maybe Jill Lepore's 1998 book The Name of War though I don't think it involves Winthrop too much, being focused on a slightly later period.
Haven't read this one but on Winthrop specifically there's Francis Bremer (2003) John Winthrop: America's Forgotten Founder.
posted by Wretch729 at 8:26 PM on October 26, 2016