Publisher's Synopsis
Behind the quaint and pious Mayflower story taught in American schools is a tumultuous, largely untold tale of violence, subterfuge and drama. Brushing aside the myths surrounding the Pilgrim fathers, Philbrick reveals the harsh reality of their perilous journey from England on a battered, leaky ship; their first bitter North American winter; and their equally bitter battle against the native Wampanoag tribe 50 years later. Among the litany of hardships, there are stories of friendship and co-operation, and the delicate, unstable relationship that continued until King Philip's war. Philbrick's fascinating history captures all the drama and uncertainty of the Plymouth settlement.
