Customer Reviews

A New World

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Arthur Quinn loves America and American History. No, he doesn't say this anywhere in his book, "A New World", but his passion is obvious to anyone who reads this book. The pages are filled with his excitement which will draw in almost any reader, even those who normally do not like history. Better still, for those of us who do enjoy history, Quinn details portions of American History rarely covered in school or in other books.

The two things I liked best about A New World was Quinn's awareness of the times and his details about its people. Usually when we study or read about American History, it is in a void. Quinn is the first writer I have read who talks about how Machavilli influenced John Smith. John Smith, always a boring figure of the past, now seems like a wild adventurer to me.

Quinn also talks about Indian savagery. I never really appreciated why the Colonists had such fears or anger towards them. Our politically correct schools always teach us how Colonists took our land from others. I have never in school how some Indians tortured soliders so much before a battle, that the European troops gave up out of fear. Or how these same Indians would take a stick and slowly work it up the bone of a person from his hand to his shoulder. Not counting the constant war between some Indian Tribes and the colonist, these stories helped me understand the attitudes of those times much better.

After Barbara Tuchman's, The Guns of August, this is probably the best history work I have read. I look forward to reading more from Mr. Quinn. If you haven't read him yet, this book is a very good place to start.

Arthur Quinn's wonderful work, "A New World," puts you into the shoes, and more importantly, the heads, of the movers and shakers of the colonial world. From a modern perspective, the behavior of our colonial forebears is often perplexing and sometimes downright criminal. Why did the Plymouth Pilgrims see the decimation of the Pawtuxet as Divine Providence, instead of a horrific tragedy? Why did French and English colonists treat the natives so differently? Quinn's treatment of these and other issues are unparalleled. Instead of providing a detailed chronology of events, Quinn emphasizes sociological context and individual perspective. Plenty of good history books can tell you what happened; "A New World" explains why. This can be a rough ride (Quinn is no apologist), but like the best roller coasters, "A New World" is well worth the trip.

Arthur Quinn's "A New World" is a must-read for any student of early American history and a should-read for fans of entertaining tales.

While undeniably a history, Quinn's effort is sure to disappoint anyone who is looking for a comprehensive treatment of colonial America, anything approaching dates, figures, and similar hard data. Quinn endeavors to tell a story rather than offer a definitive analysis. This is the kind of history that is best savored in a comfortable armchair with your favorite beverage, not at a desk with a notepad.

Certain passages sweep the reader away -- the majestic falls near Quebec, the horrific torture of a mighty Indian warrior, the crotchety character of the Acadians, and on and on . . . Quinn brings this murky period of American history to life in a unique fashion that can only serve to heighten the reader's interest in learning more.

Like anyone who attempts to tell a gripping tale, Quinn abandons historical analysis in favor of grand storytelling. This is a different type of history. However, by bringing the era to life and giving the reader characters and events to care about, Quinn can do more to engender a deep desire to learn more about colonial America than dry, hyper-accurate historical treatments of the era that might provide more pure "data" than Quinn.

Check this book out -- you'll be glad you did.

After reading this book one thing is certain: Quinn is a rare find, an author whose prose is as beautifually artistic as it is factual. Quinn narrates the colonization of eastern North America from the founding of Jamestown until the fall of Quebec (roughly 1580-1760) by telling the tale of a central citizen from 12 different settlements. What makes this book so amazing is that it reads like a page-turning piece of popular fiction without compromising historic detail in the least. Furthermore, Quinn often provides thoughtful insights which add significant analysis to his historical narrative. This is a must-buy for anyone interested in the colonial era, and highly recommended for anyone who simply loves good books.

This book is a rarity among history books. It almost reads like a series of short stories, one more engrossing than the next. By structuring the book this way, and by treating the major colonial figures in each section as real human beings, the author makes history come alive. Concurrent and contributing events in Europe are explained in a completely coherent manner. The author's tongue-in-cheek style points out all too clearly the similarities between what we like to believe is our venerable past, and what we vilify today. This book should be required reading in high schools. Not only would it involve students to the point that they might actually remember some early American history, but they might learn some political lessons as well. And for the casual reader - it's just a good read you will not want to put down!

This is a phenomenal book. The author gets into the mind, the personal history, attitudes, and feelings of the leaders of thirteen different colonies in North America. You will learn about their personal military and political exploits prior to their arrival in the new world. You will discover the financial ruin that sent many of them beyond the reach of their creditors. You will find motivations that derive from the international politics of Europe, as well as those that arise from interpersonal rivalries within the court of their own countries. Two more unique aspects stood out even above this degree of historical excellence. One was the way the author illustrates the role of religious faith, or the drive for success in business, or the obsession for political advancement in the thinking of each colonial leader. We get to hear their thoughts as they deal with their most important successes and failures. The other aspect that stood out was the detail of the history of Natives Americans. Their intertribal politics and the way they used their relations with Europeans to accomplish their goals are illustrated. It is clearly a mistake to see Native AMericans as one monolithic and innocent population. While the book is by no means judgemental, it does not fail to document the less than perfect record of some tribal leaders. (I have read a few books on Native Americans, yet somehow the undisputed details here are missing from every other text I've seen.) All of this is done in a wonderfully readable style. Immense historical detail is delivered with a feeling for the passion and frustration, fear and excitement felt by all of the people who lived these events. It reads like a historical novel, but is as clearly accurate and detailed as any textbook. An outstanding feat of writing and research. If you like Early American/ Colonial history you have to read this book. I'm buying my tenth copy (and more) to use as gifts.

Definitely a must-read book for anyone interested in the history of the Northeast, Ontario, and Quebec. A broad yet detailed story of the various men (Colonists, Natives, Religious Leaders, and Governors) who shaped the beginnings of these states/provinces and the 2 countries which were soon to follow. So much hope, so much desparation; Mr. Quinn has a definite knack for storytelling and bringing the reader back into a time which is hardly imaginable, yet is so intrinsic to our history. I truly enjoyed this book, and was sad to reach the end, knowing that these fascinating, incredible stories did NOT end, and continue to this day.

If you like to read American Colonial history you will enjoy this book. Mr. Quinn has taken several of our beloved early legends and given us more than we probably want to know about their background and participants. His style takes a little getting used to but it is worth the effort.

Arthur Quinn's goal -- to give the first 150 years of American colonial history the sweeping treatment the topic deserves -- is laudable. Quinn's attempt, unfortunately, falls far short of that goal. Simply put, the work just isn't a very good history book. Historians, professional and armchair, revel in linear detail like dates and places, and want to be certain that they are getting the whole picture. Quinn isn't bothered by such things, possibly because they might get in the way of the story he's trying to tell. Aside from his occasional, awkward forays into flights of literary greatness that, more often than not, just fall into tortured prose, Quinn's indifference to dates and some events is a fatal flaw in a work of history. For example, he completely ignores the Mayflower Compact (although we learn a great deal else about the Pilgrims), one of the most important documents in early American history, and has nothing to say of the death of Wolfe at Quebec, along with Montcalm. Quinn is so indifferent to noting months and years that a reader often loses track of where the story is in time. Those exclusions, and others like them, seriously weaken the book.

In the end, a reader should approach this book as an outline, a primer perhaps, that covers a compelling expanse of our past, and take it upon her or himself to fill in the gaps. For those readers who prefer narrative to history, then this book should be enough. It is full of fascinating, fatally flawed characters (and lots and lots of native Americans who like to eat those characters). For readers looking for a more detailed, textured understanding of our founding, this is a decent place to start -- if Quinn's writing style doesn't drive you crazy within the first 12 pages -- because it is organized decently and many highlights are there, but keep in mind that it is only a start.

An absolute pleasure to read. Never read a history book that was so hard to put down. Not your typical perspectives on colonizing North America. A gripping, vivid read.