John Winthrop, Oliver Cromwell, and the Land of Promise
by Marc Aronson (Author)

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 Ralegh leaves off, providing another riveting look at British and early American history. Cast of characters, maps, endnotes and bibliography, Internet resources, timeline, index.

"...writing is clear and the documentation meticulous...an important study of the origins of America as a land of promise."
--Kirkus Reviews

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"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 intepretations.... Aronson is masterly at illuminating the reality of religious faith and the cataclysmic clash of beliefs that created fertile ground for ideas about democracy and equality.... The notes are a model of lucidity for any student wanting to find out more."

-- GraceAnne A. DeCandido, Booklist

"...writing is clear and the documentation meticulous...an important study of the origins of America as a land of promise."

-- Kirkus Reviews