Customer Reviews

Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Colonial America: From 1607-1783 (Writer's Guide to Everyday Life Series)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book does give a good general overview of many aspects of Colonial life and is probably useful. However, much of what's presented as fact is actually the author's opinion or is not proveable at this late date, or has been written about differently in different sources.(Example: that slave owners usually treated slaves well.)

Also, it necessarily gives a very shallow view of Colonial life, which is suited to the intent of the book but may not be suited to your needs. If you're planning to write a Harlequin Romance that takes place in Colonial America you can probably get by with this. If you have in mind more of an Anya Seton approach, you will need to do considerable research in addition to reading this book.

I just bought this book, in spite of the previous review, and found it useful and informative. I was surprised by the depth of the information.

If you are working on any piece that requires exhaustive research I'm sure you would want to check more than one source. But this book is a wonderful place to begin your research.

This book is okay for very basic colonial information but is much too brief. A few examples I have are
1. the part about the military is just plain wrong. Armor was not common till 1700 actually armor in America was largely not used after 1670s. Buff coats had more use later on but the author doesn't mention them.
2. The author states that no attempt will be made to talk about Indian and colonial relations but then in the overviews of the regions makes very opinionated statements. It mentions the Pequot war with no background on why it started, just the colonists slaughter of the Pequots, and no mention of the Indian allies. Also in the New England section it sates 'not bothering to educate their children... they were too busy fighting Indians and poverty' Both these statements left me wondering where this information came from. The New England Puritans were actually well educated and aside from the Pequot war(which in no way would have effected education) and King Philips war, there was generally peace in the early years in New England. The statement makes it sound like they were killing Indians left and right which was not true. This again sounds true when the author states, "Indian Leader King Philip...rose up in a desperate last bid to prevent the destruction of his people." This makes it sound like the Indians were directly under attack which again was not the case. I should have been stated, to pervese the destruction of their culture, since this would have been more accurate.
3. the Book makes a very vague distinction between the periods in the colonial times. It doesn't work very well on many parts of the book. Architecture for example changed a lot during the period but he only focuses on the earlier designs and doesn't mention the styles.

Buy the book for basic information on colonial America but if your actually writing a book you'll need to do further research.

Very interesting, informative and educational. I was particularly attracted to the book because the author researched his topics through Colonial Williamsburg experts, who know more about this stuff than anybody.

full if info--all presented in an easy-to-read and find style. Delighted
I purchased this.

Not just for writers, but historians, hobbyists, and anyone interested in the small details of life in other times. This volume, like the others in the series, includes chapters (with figures and illustrations) on food, clothing, family life, work, education, religion, leisure activities, social and political history, etc. Great for browsing, great for research. Recommended.