Aronson, Marc

John Winthrop, Oliver Cromwell, and the Land of Promise

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, January 1, 2004.
Edition: First, First Printing
Book Condition: New
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN: 0618181776 / 9780618181773

This carefully researched and insightful account by Sibert medalist Marc Aronson focuses on the intertwined lives of John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of the Puritan Commonwealth in England. Set against a broad canvas of the turmoil that engulfed Britain in the 17th century, the book examines the clashes of the monarchy and the church with Parliament, which led these two powerful men to take opposite courses. Here is a panoramic view of the period, from elaborate masques to the trial of a heretic, from wars fought against Indians to dramatic battles led by cavalry, from the toppling of a king to the search for the ideal society.
Packed with literary allusions, vivid descriptions of significant events, and a cast of memorable figures, this sweeping account picks up where the highly acclaimed Sir Walter Raleigh leaves off, providing another riveting look at British and early American history. Cast of characters, maps, endnotes and bibliography, Internet resources, timeline, index.

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up–Continuing the trilogy he began in Sir Walter Raleigh and the Quest for El Dorado (Clarion, 2000), Aronson points out startling similarities between 21st-century fanatical religious extremists and the zealous religious leaders who sought to establish the kingdom of heaven on earth nearly 400 years earlier. Focusing on the lives of two prominent Puritans, Cromwell in England and Winthrop in New England, the author argues that "we are the heirs of the radicals, not of the established government." He is fair and nonjudgmental in his clear, thorough explanations of the beliefs of the parties involved in the English Civil War and in the establishment of England's American colonies. Because this book is filled with detailed historical information and unique analyses of philosophical issues, it will be challenging for readers without prior exposure to U.S. and British history. Sophisticated readers with a basic grounding in history and current events should find it fascinating and provocative. The author's extensive research is reflected in his multi-page endnotes and bibliography. The numerous illustrations include captioned reproductions of period maps, engravings, political cartoons, and drawings.–Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. Aronson has many gifts: an ability to take historical events and render them as if they were unfolding before us; a cold eye for the prejudices of partisan contemporary accounts; the wit to untangle the knot of conflicting interpretations. His subject is seventeenth-century Britain and America, and he centers his narrative on John Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and the Puritan Oliver Cromwell, who deposed a king and became Lord Protector in England. Aronson masterfully illuminates the reality of religious faith and the cataclysmic clash of beliefs that created fertile ground for ideas about democracy and equality. He doesn't downplay the demonization of Catholics in Britain or Pequots and other First Peoples in what would become America. The topic may not be a first choice for young people, but Aronson closes this interest gap by drawing parallels between the past and the present with the contemporary religious right, terrorism, and theocracy. The notes are a model of lucidity for any student who wants to learn more. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

Marc Aronson is the award-winning author of a wide variety of nonfiction works for younger readers, including Sir Walter Ralegh and the Quest for El Dorado, which received the first Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award. He edits and publishes young adult fiction in a special arrangement with Candlewick and lives with his wife and two sons in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Item #7643

Price: $22.97

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