The Final Spark

A walk through the shady streets of Old Deerfield, Massachusetts, presents many fine views -- the stately old homes, the colonial doorways, the lonely Union Army sentinel atop the town's sandstone monument, and Frank Boyden's splendid prep school, Deerfield Academy. A stroller then comes to the stone markers that recall moments of terror and bravery. On February 29, 1704, the tiny settlement at Deerfield was attacked by... Read Full Review

I enjoyed this book because I thought that Demos presented new theories about this well-known incident in Colonial history (at least to those of us who lived near Deerfield). He also does an excellent job showing all points of view (English, French, Indian) of not only the February 1704 attack on Deerfield but also the march into Canada, the subsequent redeemption of most of the captives, and, of course, why Eunice Williams... Read Full Review

Brings the history of an obscure event to the reader in a way that makes one want to learn more. The study of history can suffer from failure to integrate events into the full matrix of their time, hence can be dull. This book, in contrast, helps us to see the individuals involved as fully human and integrated into their times and the assumptions of their cultures. This is a very poignant story which allows (of necessity)... Read Full Review

The Unredeemed Captive is an outstanding chronicle of life in Puritan New England, the surprisingly fluid interface between native and immigrant peoples, and the fixity of early 18th religious beliefs in English and French North America. John Demos is scrupulous but not tedious. He manages to convey his sympathies for the affected parties without producing a melodrama. The book is a story of the abduction and adoption of... Read Full Review