Customer Reviews

The Sovereignty and Goodness of God: with Related Documents (Bedford Series in History & Culture)

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"The Sovereignty and Goodness of God, Together with the Faithfulness of His Promises Displayed," by Mary Rowlandson, is a compelling piece of colonial American literature. First published in 1682, this autobiographical text represents a genre of literature known as the "captivity narrative": a first-person account of a white settler who was held as a hostage or prisoner by Native Americans. In Rowlandson's case, she was taken captive during Metacom's War (also known as King Philip's War), which took place in 1675-1676.

The edition of Rowlandson's book edited by Neal Salisbury is excellent. This edition contains Rowlandson's text, together with a wealth of other materials: a thorough introduction, many maps, a chronology, a bibliography, and other historic documents from Rowlandson's era. The many illustrations include photographs of the title pages of earlier editions.

Rowlandson's captivity narrative is a significant milestone in American literature; the introduction to the Salisbury edition notes that the text "has been almost continually in print since 1770." Since the text itself is relatively short, it has appeared in anthologies (see, for example, "The Harper Single Volume American Literature," third edition). But the many "extras" in the Salisbury edition definitely make it a book worth buying, even if you have an anthology already containing the Rowlandson text.

Rowlandson's memoir itself is not great literature stylistically. But it is a fascinating text with some really striking passages. Rowlandson's extreme evangelical Puritanism will likely alienate or bewilder some modern readers, but her religious attitude should be read in historic and cultural context. Similarly, her extremely racist descriptions of Indians ("merciless Heathen," "ravenous Beasts," etc.) should to be read in context (but should not be trivialized, especially in multiethnic classrooms where this text might be taught).

This book is a significant document of contact between cultures in times of extreme crisis. It is an especially intriguing text for those careful readers who really try to read "between the lines." Recommended as companion texts: William Apess' "A Son of the Forest and Other Writings" (Apess was a pioneer Native American writer) and James Fenimore Cooper's novel "The Last of the Mohicans."

Interestingly enough, I read this for a course on early American literature. But as a history major, I can say that it would have served equally well in a course on, say, Colonial New England or Social Life in Colonial America. It provides fascinating insights into Puritan life--especially into its religious beliefs and practices and the huge role they played in the life of a Puritan. Moreover, it chronicles the contact of two societies at odds: Puritans and Native Americans. Rowlandson's descriptions of her captors are exceedingly interesting and give depth to any consideration of life in early America. Salisbury's notes and introduction are also quite helpful. Read as a piece of literature, moreover, The Sovereignty and Goodness of God proves to be a fruitful topic for study, as well as a great complement to its function as an historical document. Considering my English course included some rather unsavory texts, this one was much appreciated and quite refreshing, too.

I decided to read this book after having read "Mayflower". It was apparently the first American bestseller and was popular in Britain also at the time. I was curious about how she was treated by the Indians. It certainly showed these Indians as ordinary people - which I should have expected. It did say something about these aborigines that they didn't rape her as so many other peoples would have done - spoils of war and all that. On the overall I found that the Indians treated her civilly. Of course the Indians had trouble finding food just as she did have obtaining food and they were trying to brave the attacks of her people all the time. The King Philip War was a tragedy. The Indians had been treated badly by the English (so what's new?)and in my estimation from what I read King Philip was not a jingoist like Moseley. Indeed I felt he was by nature a peaceful person like his father. I was shocked that the Mohawks sided against him. Well, war is hell and friends often turn into enemies for who knows what reason. At any rate, in conclusion, I felt that this is an important document and her religiosity was normal for the time, a time when John Hoar (a good guy) was thrown in jail for not attending church! I don't think you can appreciate this book using today's morals and behavior as the criterion.

Great book, got it just in time for my american heritage class. Will recommend to all my friends.

Yeah Know... I really only payed the S&H so overall my complaints over this book aren't huge... It said the condition is "Good" and I would have labeled it as fair. The previous owner was all about highlighting text- and seeing as though I am using it as a textbook... that can be distracting. It isn't missing any pages and hasn't suffered any damage other than that...and it arrived on time... so over all a pretty good transaction and a fair product!

Modern feminists who claim Rowlandson as a progenitor are sorely mistaken. Rowlandson, in fact, ascribed to those same conservative, religious values that today's society lacks.

After reading books such as The Name of War by Jill Lepore and Dawnland Encounters by Colin Callaway, I am a bit skeptical of Mary's intentions for writing this piece.

The name of war has a section of how much press that King Philip's War received. It was astounding. In only a two-year period, there were 18+ books written on the war. Everyone with a press was trying to cash in with Europe so interested in the outcome.

Combining this information from Lepore with Colin Callaway's, I have come to doubt the information she gives. Callaway's book tries to escape the typical Euro-indian encounters, by discussing how they co-existed in economical, religious, and ecological terms. His studies on Native Americans taking prisoners, tellsa different story. In most cases, Native Americans from the North East tried to assimilate their captives into their own society to replace brethren lost in war. Though this did not always happen, it was more often than not. Callaway happens to be the leading authority on Native American studies.

Mary's description of her captivity tells a different story of threats, hunger, and slavery, in captivity while God and bible scriptures gave her hope. Having been the wife of a preacher, her words of God could be her attempt to fill reader's minds with religious beliefs in hopes of a conversion. I think it is a combination of all three.

Though she did have reason to hate the Native Americans which gives plausibility to her story, I still feel it is more fact than fiction. They did murder much of her family, including her 6-year old daughter which gave reasons of hate. But what other reason to actually write such a story but for the reason's aforementioned?