The Wordy Shipmates

Yes, Sarah Vowell has done it again! She has a taken a tiny section of American history and made it her own. The Wordy Shipmates is her latest micro-history. This book is about the early settlers of Massachusetts. Nope - not those pilgrims with a capital "P". This is about that other group - those future Bostonians, the Massachusetts Bay Colony and their leader John Winthrop. They want to build "a city upon a hill" but their way. And if you do not agree - then they banish you. And thus Rhode Island is born!

There are some problems with this book. It is hard to be quirky about major players in history, when what writings that are available seem to suggest that some of the founding fathers had no sense of humor at all. And most of us modern folk would call them cranks. But different times for different men, and Vowell tries to make them alive for us, with all their sins and faults. While her admiration for their struggles and the principles that they passed on to us future Americans, is evident, it is hard for the reader to get excited by the early 17th century prose.

Winthrop and his group survived, passed on their beliefs, created Harvard, started Indian wars, and helped create a uniquely American culture. And Vowell ties it all together for you. This book is a must for a Sarah Vowell fan, or a early American history buff.

1776 - a Microhistory

Did you want a taste of what the War of Independence was like? A sampling as it were? Try David McCullough's most recent title 1776. He focuses on one year at the beginning of the war and leaves you yearning for more.

McCullough is a great writer for finding great source materials, and the letters from George Washington, Nathan Greene and Henry Knox and others do not disappoint. He lets you know these great men and their mistakes, and it allows you to realize that they weren't the demi-gods that some portray them. It is somehow reassuring that in the midst of the struggle - Washington is sending letters to his estate manager about remodeling his house. It sounded as if George would have loved Home & Garden television!

If you grow up in the United States you think you already know the ending of this story and in some ways maybe you do, but McCullough shows you what a narrow victory it sometimes was. Reading of the struggle of the soldiers on the ground reminds you of the dedication they had, to be committing treason against the crown. It sounded a lot easier in your high school text book.

McCullough writes with eloquence and if he's done his job - makes you wonder more about the people and the rest of the war. Excellent read.

A History of the World in 6 Glasses

A History of the World in 6 Glasses is a great book by Tom Standage. Who realized that beverages were so important? Beer, wine, distilled spirits, coffee, tea and Coca-Cola are what Standage focuses on and he brings us the history of the drink’s prime era.

Some fun facts:

Beer was drunk by everyone because it was not as poisonous as the water was. And it used to be drunk with straws so that the drinkers would not drink the floating grains.

Greeks and Romans drank wine that was mixed with water.

Coffee houses were promoted as the new intellectual hangout of their era - in the 1700s!

The East India Company practically started a war in China so that they could get more tea imports.

Coca-Cola started as a medicine and was created by a patent medicine chemist.

With this book, beverages join the group of goods that the historical and modern world has bartered for and fought for. The irony is, he says, the next struggle will be for access for the most basic drink of all - water. Something to look forward to. Hmmm.

An entertaining and informative read. You don't have to be a history junkie to enjoy this.

Origins of the Calendar - or why December is the 12th month - instead of 10th

The Dance of Time : The Origins of the Calendar by Michael Judge is a great book for those folks who like to spout facts at parties. It is also is fun for those of us who really do want to know why December is the 12th month instead of 10th? (That is because they put in extra months and kept trying to change the names - but everyone kept using the old ones!)

Judge takes a logical approach and first begins his history with how the concept of capturing and notating time began. What religious and pagan festivals played a part and what groups were responsible for keeping or creating the traditions is part of his analysis. Then he goes in depth and does a month by month essay while highlighting the days and traditions that are still carried on today.

Some fun facts for your next shindig : Did you know that Halloween is one of the oldest celebrated pagan festivals - that has not changed much at all in character during that time and it predates Christianity by "at least five hundred years"? And the date has remained the same during that time frame? Did you know that the year used to start on March 25th? And that "New Year's Day" fluxuated between Jan 1 and March 25th until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar reforms - and not even then?

Great book - lots of information - Great read