As a long time history buff, major, and teacher, I'm embarrassed to admit how little I really knew about Squanto going into this book. How much? Let's see, he helped the Pilgrims. He somehow magically knew how to speak English. He had something to do with the First Thanksgiving. That's about it. Typical kid, I never really questioned how he knew English from prior encounters with the English, not to mention why he'd even want to help them. It wasn't like they were exactly friendly to the Native Americans they would encounter. And, as for that day of thanksgiving, well, let's just say it wasn't planned as an annual event.
Author Andrew Lipman goes a long way toward answering these questions and more. Let's just say, this book was superbly researched and sometimes the facts seem to almost stumble over each other. Despite that and the academic air it has, it was a relatively easy read and, for the most part, kept my attention. It's as much about the times as it is Squanto which wasn't his true name. You'll learn more about the language, culture, family structure, customs and rituals that Squanto grew up with as you get to know the man behind the legend. I mean, did you know he lived in England during Shakespeare's time? That was during his captivity. Not only that, but once resided only 300 yards from where another rather famous Native American, Pocahontas, stayed in England? He even had an earlier encounter with another famous explorer, one John Smith, albeit this one on the New World soil. Having, like millions of others, ancestral roots to the Pilgrims, that era of Squanto's life, of course, held the most interest for me. It brought him to life for me, imagining my own anscestors rugging elbows with him at that first Thanksgiving, that's for sure.
Bottom line, despite occasionally getting lost in the details, and there are many, many of them shared, I found this an intriguing book and highly recommend teachers and librarians get it on their shelves asap. Needless to say, even history buffs or those wanting to know more about Native American roots and contributions to what would become the American colonies, will find it intriguing. Thanks #NetGalley and #YaleUniversityPress for allowing me to time travel back in time via an early peek at this book. History buffs everywhere should find it of great interest.
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