Excellent Primer - too much colonial history
353629
This book is an excellent introduction to the history of Mexico, beginning with the Olmecs and continuing on to the present.  Meyer does an excellent job covering not only historical events, but also grounding those events in the relevant cultural and societal settings.  He really helps you to understand why Moctezuma was so complacent against Cortez, and to understand the motivations of the conquistadores, etc.  Overall, his coverage of the Conquest is outstanding.
I also feel that his coverage of modern events is informative, though it does much less to make you understand the modern Mexican cultural and societal dynamic than was the case for the era of the Conquest.
Where this book bogs down a great deal is in the discussion of the period stretching from the beginning of the Colonial period up to the Revolution.  There is little grounding for the discussion of the independence movement - one gets the impression that it sort of just happened...  The same thing is true for the Revolution.  Meyer hits his stride again once the Revolution gets going, but you have 200 pages in the middle that are nowhere near as good as the beginning and end.
Still, this is an excellent introduction to Mexican history that I greatly enjoyed.  I would recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about a thoroughly fascinating country.
3647715
What we were taught in school was only 2% of the story. We can't really know our historical roots without knowing and about Colonial America and the story of our Founding Fathers, especially, the 4 months during which our Constitution was written -- what the vital issues were, the reasons why certain things happened the way they did, the story of just how personally difficult it was for these 55 white, English-speaking propertied men to create a document that would eventually spread our democratic process so wide(200+ yrs) and so deep, covering so many our us who are not white, native English speakers and relatively wealthy like the FFathers. In addition to this book i recommend the following audiobooks (available on Audible.com): *The Founding Brothers* by Joseph Ellis, and three of the Great Courses presentations (a)* America's Founding Fathers* (Professor Allen C. Guelzo, PH.D); *The Great Debate: Advocates and Opponents of the American Constitution*; and *Cycles of American Political Thought* by Prof. Joseph Kobylka. Somebody should make this wonderful story into a year-long mini-series for Amazon Prime or TED-ED talks. Never have American had such a compelling reason to know their democratic history at the level that a 9th grader would get the picture.
2408284
The author is obviously very knowledgeable.  The book is written for someone with more than just a basic familiarity with the issue and the main characters (which is all I had).  It was surprising to look and see that the author is not an academic from Great Britain.  I had to do a little googling to catch up on the basics that were not included.  At 135 pages, the author could have included that without bogging down.  The appendices containing verbatim transcriptions of period documents did really add to the feel and flavor.
861155
After traveling to the Outer Banks last summer on vacation and actually walking over the territory that the first colonists lived on, I had to learn more. If, like me, you have been to this remote area of N. Carolina and you want to learn more, start with this book.
What is most useful about this book, and there are many usefull qualities, is that it does give a fair amount of background to the political and social scene of the late 1500's. After reading this book, I realised that our astronauts have a far, far easier time than these earlier exploerers. Modern American minds have come to expect in our minds that England has always been the preiminant power in Western Europe. How different that perception would have been had not these intrepid explorers arrived on our shores with no knowledge of the area, no food, no shelter and no allies.
What Milton does best is to give the characters of his story a balanced hearing. The natives are neither entirely naive nor entirely innocent, the English are neither entirely gospel and adventure loving or entirely cruel and conquering.
Too often in the books I have read on the "Lost Colony" (and Miles presents a very plausible explanation about where White's colonists ended up), the colonists are placed out of context even for the contemporary Jamestown colony. Here Miles shows why this early colony became strategically unimportant (why the English politicians did not care what happened to them) and important for what they taught about how to start a colony.
The only complaint I have about the book is that it tends to not flow very easily. The back and forth of Virginia and England tends to get a little hurried sometimes and makes it a bit hard to read in a few points. I do appreciate Miles stepping out and making conclusions about the events.
Overall, this is a FUN history book with sound scholarship backing it. The pages turn quickly. The book really does show the philosophical beginnings of the idea of English North America and why and where our ideas of law and commerce come from.
3723909
"God's Secretaries" is another in a long list of recent histories ("Washington's Crossing," "Paul Revere's Ride," "American Brutus") that uses a single event to shed light on an era. Adam Nicolson does a masterful job of exploring the politics and personalities behind the creation of the King James Bible. I was especially fascinated by the interplay between various early 17th century Protestant sects - Puritans, Episcopalians and Congregationalists. Students of American history will get a better feel for why the Puritans--western Christianity's equivalent of the Taliban--might have been so unwelcome at home. The King James Bible was in part an answer to the Puritan's Geneva Bible, which used deliberately-slanted anti-monarchical translations (e.g., using "tyrant" for "king"!) that made it politically annoying, even subversive.

While I enjoy the King James style, Nicolson was weakest when trumpeting the superiority of the King James to other contemporaneous translations. Seeing various versions side by side, it wasn't altogether clear to me that the King James was the obviously better choice. It doesn't hurt that the king is behind your version. That being said, "God's Secretaries" was a terrific read, full of the anecdotal information that brings history alive.
995426
This book is a rather scholarly treatment of an interesting historical subject.  It delves into the history of the intermediaries, the interpreters and the negotiators that bridged the cultural divide between the Native American tribes and the colonial governments.  It introduces colorful characters like Andrew Montour who dressed in full waistcoat and vest like a colonial gentleman, yet painted his face, tatooed his body and adorned his ears with huge silver earing.  This son of mixed French and Seneca blood spoke fluent English and French as well as five or six Native American tongues.  He was equally confortable addressing a colonial house of burgesses or an Indian war council.

The subject matter is facinating and filled with adventure, drama and intrigue, yet the author presents it in a dry scholarly context that makes it rather laborious to read.  It is worth reading if you are seeking to expand your knowledge of the cultural divide between the early colonists and the various Indian tribes.  If you are looking for an interesting and entertaining deptiction of history, I would not recommend this tome.
1358791
Vaver captivatingly relates a relatively unknown facet of American history.

"Between 1700 and 1775, a total of 585,800 immigrants arrived in the 13 colonies from all over the world. About 52,200 of these immigrants were convicts and prisoners (9%). Slaves by far constituted the largest group (278,400; 47%), followed by people arriving with their freedom (151,600; 26%) and indentured servants (96,600; 18%). Note that almost three-quarters of all the people arriving in the American colonies during this time period did so without their freedom" (p. 7).

As Vaver explains "transportation," he enthralls the readers with tales of notorious criminals mixed with pathos for the more innocent caught in the flawed web of what passed for 18th Century British justice. Against a backdrop peopled with criminals like the notorious Jonathan Wild and Moll King, Vaver relates stories lesser known, such as the story of a twelve year old child, Elizabeth Howard, who, in 1728, stole a small quantity of ribbon and lace.  Caught and imprisoned, Elizabeth stood trial and was convicted of felony theft: a hanging offense.  While awaiting execution in Newgate prison, Elizabeth petitioned that her sentence be commuted to "transportation" to the American colonies. Her petitioned worked, and she was to be released on account of her young age.  Unfortunately, Elizabeth died before she was released. (pp. 90-91 & 97-98).

When I bought this book, I expected to read about convicts being sent to Georgia.  Vaver explains the origins of that misconception and then surprisingly reveals that most convicts sent to the colonies were landed and sold in Maryland and Virginia.  It's a very good and informative book. And while it's in no manner Vaver's thesis, Vaver's book should serve as a cautionary tale to those who would rely on "privatization" (free enterprise} to mete out criminal punishment.
2245122
The grim and sober notion of a monochromatic Puritan world is quickly put  to rest by colonial scholar John C. Miller in his fine volume, The First  Frontier: Life in Colonial America.  Contrary to the stern  stereotypical image of a thousand Thanksgiving pageants and grade school  centerpieces, Dr. Miller creates an anecdotal quilt that captures a diverse  frontier world that edged the rocky shore of the cold Atlantic.  If Dr.  Miller's book had been the primer for legions of school children there  would have been little dozing in the classroom;  America wouldn't have had  to wait for Mel Gibson and the Patriot to discuss the finer points of  "bundling."  Nor would we have questioned Samoset's motivation  when it's revealed he boldly marched up to the Pilgrims and asked for beer.  The extarordinary range of detail, gleaned from diaries, letters and other  primary sources surprises us with anecdotes of crime and punishment,  recreation, education, dress, labor and medicine among others.  From  cockfights, slavery, urban life to mean cabins on the frontier, the first  Americans emerge as a diverse species, as unique as the forest they push  back from the sea.  Consider that, Harvard educated and Stanford  professor, Dr. Miller first wrote this thin tome in 1966, makes this  undiscovered gem a treasure for any serious student of the American  frontier.  But, like Washington's Expense Account, it reaches across the  coffee table and seizes the mainstream reader's interest.  This is a Don't  Miss. coleman@gunnison.com
2708082
What a great book!  Most other histories on the region and the period give little insight into native prerogatives, summarily attributing alliances to one factor or another. Mr. McConnell gives a much needed look into the intricacies of native politics, negotiations (in their own societies) and the effects they had on the larger actions we are acquainted with.  It is amazing how the understanding of native affairs in the period, even if limited to a few, disappeared from "history" and what we've been taught of it for centuries. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in the late colonial period and the difficulties faced by both Euro-Americans and the natives.  So many of the lessons of this difficult time, both the successes and failures can be applied to other American and global struggles highlighting the adage that those who fail to learn are doomed to repeat.
2008885
As a student of British literature, I found Ms. Fraser's book to be an excellent introduction to the respective periods in which I work. As a veritable "who's who" of British history, its particular value is in it being decidedly old-fashioned; refraining from the modern tendency towards "revisionist history" (even in most so-called "introductory" texts), Ms. Fraser's book may best be used as a succint amalgamation of more standard historical points of view. The author, however, does have the tendency to "overcram" her prose with too many dates, proper names, battles, and the like. The result sometimes makes for difficult reading, as the reader is expected to follow without much further guidance the frequently jolting shifts in ideology, international alliances, and the conferment of various titles. However, were one to approach the text with a specific period or reign in mind, one would no doubt find much of value in Ms. Fraser's ambitious and comprehensive account.
2472575
This is really a very thorough book -- it's got large, academic sections on religion, art, forensics, prehistory, archaeology, etc, and these sections are all written by some of the creme de la creme of the field.  If  you're interested in a brief on Northwest Coast Indian life, this is a  reasonably good (if rather scholarly) place to start.
However, I feel  the book loses points because of the following reasons:  it has precious  few Native writers, and therefore lacks the Native perspective;  it spends  an awful lot of time focusing on the past, forcing Northwest tribes into an  "ethnogrpahic present;"  it needs desperately to be updated;  and  its illustrations are entirely in grainy black and white.  Finally, Native  readers may find themselves uncomfortable with both the sections devoted to  forensics and shamanism.
616229
An exciting book that really tears away the gauzy myths of America as a "class-less" (not "classless") action. I was amazed by some of the revelations, especially early in the book, regarding who came to the Colonies and why and how they were treated. I read it straight through in just a few days, something I rarely do. Well-written and full of interesting details. My biggest complaint is that it wasn't one enough, but I imagine there was just too much to include in one book. (Plus, the notes pages at the end are huge in themselves.)
55922
Carefully researched and well written by a fine historian, but  a newcomer on the subject may find too many details. Recommended.
4835045
Virtually any Indian group you are looking for is included here. It is certainly informative and has some interesting lines of argumentation about the origins of Indian arrivals in this hemisphere. I thought some of the commentary on modern Indian issues was well done too. Those interested in the land issues and casino controversies will be delighted.
  My reason for a middlish rating is that it does drone on, and tries to cover too much. It is certainly comprehensive but maybe tried to achieve too much in 400 pages, as it plods in areas and loses its readability.
  I do praise it for its balance, but feel it is more of a reference work than enjoyable prose.
1513441
Since I harshly reviewed Nick Bunkers first book, Making Haste from Babylon, I feel obliged to say that An Empire on the Edge is a great improvement. I cannot say that its take on the American Revolution from the British perspective at the time treads a lot of new ground, but it does provide some depth on aspects of the issues  for example, the role of the trade in tea and the crisis of the East India Company  that are informative and well done.  Overall he confirms the interpretation of another book I recently reviewed (Independence: The Tangled Roots of the American Revolution) that by 1770 the American colonies had had so much experience governing themselves that Englands effort to retrospectively bring the American colonies into line with the policies England needed to profit by its growing imperial possessions was bound to fail.

Striking to me is the analogy that might be drawn between Britain and its American colonies and contemporary American efforts to nation-build in the Middle East. For Britain, tea, the American colonies, the North government, and the economic crisis of 1770, substitute the USA, oil, Iraq, the Bush neo-cons and the recession of 2001 and youve got many parallels adding up to a common lesson  that its futile and very expensive to resolve with force from afar a complex situation with a rigid governing ideology.
1702209
In this compact book, John Demos paints a superb and informative picture  of everyday life in early colonial Massachusetts.  I'm delighted to see  that a new edition has been issued.
Demos shatters many of our  impressions of 17th-century Puritans - for example, the impression that  Puritans were sexually repressed.  More interesting, though, is Demos's  compelling demonstration of just how difficult life was for early Plymouth  colonists.  An example: privacy within the home, of the sort that we today  take for granted, was not enjoyed by Plymouth's settlers.  (The reason for  this fact is that the houses of the settlers were quite small, their  families quite large, and most of each person's life was spent very close  to his or her home.)  Also, by today's standards, childbirth was incredibly  dangerous: it killed one in five women.  Infant mortality high, too, at  about one in ten.  And the wide choice of occupations that we moderns enjoy  was unavailable to the Plymouth's settlers.
This book is well-researched  and well-written.  To read it is to learn more about life in early colonial  North America.  But reading it also provides important perspective for  evaluating the immense material prosperity that the institutions bequeathed  to us by these settlers - most importantly, private property - have made  possible.  We today are indeed fortunate.
1593432
Based on just-recently translated records of New Nederland, Russell Shorto gives us a pretty comprehensive and very readable story of the Dutch establishment of its colonial holdings in North America based in New Amsterdam.  As he correctly points out, the history of European settlement in North America has been written by the English --- and more specifically by educators from the northeastern centers of culture --- with the result that we have been led to believe that nothing of significance occurred here until the Pilgrims and Puritans arrived, and that the shaping of America was entirely a result of those settlers.  Not only does that history disregard the earlier permanent English settlement at Jamestown and the resulting establishment of representative government there prior to 1620, but totally ignores the significant impact of the Dutch New Nederland: settlements on Manhattan Island, all along the Hudson up to what is now Albany, on Long Island, and southward to and along the Delaware River.  This book describes a true melting pot of settlers that resulted in an open society that was a counterbalance to the strait-laced and severe theocratic regimes of the Puritans.  He maintains that the ethos of New Nederlands ultimately shaped the character of what would become America.  Although the author tends to overstress this point, there does seem to be some merit in his argument.  The book is easy to read, and offers us insights into the key personalities of the time --- Minuet, Stuyvesant, and especially an unrecognized hero, Adriaen Van der Donck, who fought (unsuccessfully) to establish a representative government in New Amsterdam.  But alas, the English brought this half-century of Dutch colonization in North America to a close in the mid-1660s.

The value of this book and Shortos research is that it has created an alternate awareness of the history of colonial America --- an awareness that (North of Spanish Florida) it wasn't all and only about the English, but about another culture that existed briefly and yet had significant impact on how the unique character of America developed.