Sarah Vowell’s The Wordy Shipmates offers a witty and insightful look into the lives of the Puritans who settled in New England. Critics praise her engaging narrative style and depth of historical analysis, though some feel the humor occasionally overshadows the historical content. Overall, the book is celebrated for making early American history accessible and entertaining.

Readers who delight in witty historical narratives with a modern twist will enjoy The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell. Fans of David McCullough's 1776 or Erik Larson's The Devil in the White City will appreciate Vowell's engaging prose and deep dive into Puritan New England's cultural legacy.

In The Wordy Shipmates, Sarah Vowell humorously and critically examines the Puritans who traveled on the Arbella to Massachusetts in 1630, exploring their efforts to establish a "city upon a hill" and the lasting legacies of their actions and ideologies. The book delves into their cultural production, colonialism, politics, religious tolerance, and gender issues, urging a reevaluation of American exceptionalism and the Puritans' impact on modern American identity. The book includes references to violence against Indigenous peoples.

Informative / Contemplative / Humorous / Nostalgic

Sarah Vowell

Adult

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Nonfiction

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Study Guide

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Overview

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Pages 1-58

The Wordy Shipmates Pages 1-58 Summary & Analysis

Pages 59-97

The Wordy Shipmates Pages 59-97 Summary & Analysis

Pages 97-152

The Wordy Shipmates Pages 97-152 Summary & Analysis

Pages 152-206

The Wordy Shipmates Pages 152-206 Summary & Analysis

Pages 206-248

The Wordy Shipmates Pages 206-248 Summary & Analysis

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Key Figures

The Wordy Shipmates Key Figures

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The Wordy Shipmates Themes

Index of Terms

The Wordy Shipmates Index of Terms

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Important Quotes

The Wordy Shipmates Important Quotes

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Essay Topics

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The Wordy Shipmates

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