The Wordy Shipmates (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781594484001)

In this New York Times bestseller, the author of Lafayette in the Somewhat United States "brings the [Puritan] era wickedly to life" (Washington Post).

To this day, America views itself as a Puritan nation, but Sarah Vowell investigates what that means-and what it should mean. What she discovers is something far different from what their uptight shoebuckles- and-corn reputation might suggest-a highly literate, deeply principled, and surprisingly feisty people, whose story is filled with pamphlet feuds, witty courtroom dramas, and bloody vengeance.

Vowell takes us from the modern-day reenactment of an Indian massacre to the Mohegan Sun casino, from old-timey Puritan poetry, where "righteousness" is rhymed with "wilderness," to a Mayflower-themed waterslide. Throughout, The Wordy Shipmates is rich in historical fact, humorous insight, and social commentary by one of America's most celebrated voices.

Author: Sarah Vowell
ISBN-10: 1594484007
ISBN-13: 9781594484001
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Language: English
Published: 10/06/2009
Pages: 272
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.50w x 0.69d

Review Citation(s):
New York Times Book Review 11/01/2009 pg. 20