The Mayflower Papers: Selected Writings of Colonial New England

The ever-wonderful Penguin Classics brings together the distinguished father-son scholars Thomas and Nathaniel Philbrick to edit a small anthology of the earliest documents of American history. Son Nathaniel used these documents to create his National Book Award-winning MAYFLOWER; Dad Thomas no doubt taught the works in his English courses at the University of Pittsburgh. The selections provided elegantly elaborate and support the bare bones knowledge most Americans have of our first colonial forebears. Some may find the writing in all its 17th and 18th century archaic funk to be difficult, but to those who persevere, much like those colonials, the works reward generously. Represented here are William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Thomas Morton, Benjamin and Thomas Church, and, with all appropriate obeisances to multi-culturalism, the fascinating account by Mary Rowlandson of her captivity during King Philip's war. This collection not only complements and supports Philbrick's book on the Mayflower, but also the earlier Penguin Classics EARLY AMERICAN WRITING. Both of these would make excellent textbooks, but are also great reading for those of us who still love the challenges posed by a younger, perhaps more complex language.