The Wordy Shipmates - Sarah Vowell

2008; 248 pages. New Author?: Yes. Genre : Non-Fiction; American History. Overall Rating : 8½*/10.

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Why do (some) Americans believe that the USA has been chosen by God to be a shining example of goodness and freedom for the rest of the world, even if we have to invade, subjugate, and occupy them to make them see the light? In The Wordy Shipmates, Sarah Vowell makes the case that it goes all the way back to the Puritans of 1630.

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This book takes an in-depth look at those Puritans (not the same as the Pilgrims) who founded (what was to become) Boston in 1630 - their leaving friends and family behind in troubled England; their struggle for survival in those first couple years; the theological divisions that quickly arose; Roger Williams and his benevolent banishment; the annihilation on the Pequot Indians (it was God's will); and the vexing Anne Hutchinson, who touched off controversy about immigration control, being born again, and women's rights and roles.

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What's To Like...

A variety of characters are put under the microscope - the aforementioned Mr. Williams and Mrs. Hutchinson; the compassionate control-freak, Governor John Winthrop; the theocratic Rev. John Cotton; the pragmatic native survivalist, Uncas; and even the modern-day lightning-rod, Ronald Reagan. To Ms. Vowell's credit, none of these are presented as all-good or all-evil.

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You get in-depth insight into the mind-set of the Puritans. They are not simpletons, despite seeing messages from God in every event. They struggle to justify their theological idealism with everyday realities; and worry constantly whether they'll make it to Heaven.

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But what really stands out is Vowell's writing style. This is not the arid history your high school teacher used to force-feed you. She repeatedly ties it in to present-day Americana - things like the TV shows The Brady Bunch and Happy Days; Ronald Reagan and JFK; 9/11 and Bruce Springsteen; and elementary school Pilgrim pageants and Pentecostal three-times-a-week services.

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Kewl New Words...

Cathartic : tension-releasing. Wainscot : a panel forming the lower part of an interior wall, finished differently from the rest of the wall. Sachem : a chief of an Algonquin tribe.

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Excerpts...

The Old Testament Israelites are to the Puritans what the blues was to the Rolling Stones - a source of inspiration, a renewable resource of rifts. What Cotton is telling them is that, like the Old Testament Jews, God has given them a new home, a promised land. And, like the Old Testament Jews, God has printed eviction notices for them to tack up on the homes of the nothing-special, just-folks folks who are squatting there. (pg. 2)

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In 1630, however, the truth that all men are created equal is far from self-evident. Winthrop is saying the opposite - that God created all men unequal. To Winthrop, this is a good thing, especially since he's in charge. ... To a modern reader, this social theory smacks of "I need you to mow my lawn and you need me not to report you to immigration." (pg. 37-38)

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"We must not look only on our own things, but also on the things of our brethren." (pg. 56. a sentence that can have two interpretations - Christian compssion or Orwellian monitoring)

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Roger Williams is God's own goalie - no seemingly harmless pleasantry gets past him. To Williams, "Christendom", that affable word describing Europe and its colonies, is an affront to Christ. For this, he blames Constantine the Great.

Is he referring to Constantine, the first Roman Emperor to legalize Christianity in the year 313, thereby allowing Christians to worship in peace after centuries in the Coliseum as lion food? Yep, that's the jerk. (pg. 113)

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Is it streets of gold for me or am I merely lighter fluid for the flames of hell? (pg. 42)

If you aren't thrilled by history, The Wordy Shipmates might not be for you, as there is very little violence and bloodshed until about 200 pages in. Ditto for dittoheads. For everyone else, this comes with my high recommendation.

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Since my knowledge of the Puritans is sketchy at best (they were different from the Pilgrims somehow; they fled religious persecution in England to practice it here; later on they burned witches), this was an enlightening read. If you only read one non-fiction book per year (that's me!), this is an excellent choice. 8½ stars.

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Other voices...

Many thanks to Coach for turning me on to this book. You can read his review of The Wordy Shipmates here.