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A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World
by: Tony Horwitz

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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 970.01
EAN: 9780805076035
ISBN: 0805076034
Label: Henry Holt and Co.
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 464
Publication Date: April 29, 2008
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Release Date: April 29, 2008
Studio: Henry Holt and Co.
Sales Rank: 468

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:

The bestselling author of Blue Latitudes takes us on a thrilling and eye-opening voyage to pre-Mayflower America

On a chance visit to Plymouth Rock, Tony Horwitz realizes he’s mislaid more than a century of American history, from Columbus’s sail in 1492 to Jamestown’s founding in 16-oh-something. Did nothing happen in between? Determined to find out, he embarks on a journey of rediscovery, following in the footsteps of the many Europeans who preceded the Pilgrims to America.

An irresistible blend of history, myth, and misadventure, A Voyage Long and Strange captures the wonder and drama of first contact. Vikings, conquistadors, French voyageurs—these and many others roamed an unknown continent in quest of grapes, gold, converts, even a cure for syphilis. Though most failed, their remarkable exploits left an enduring mark on the land and people encountered by late-arriving English settlers.

Tracing this legacy with his own epic trek—from Florida’s Fountain of Youth to Plymouth’s sacred Rock, from desert pueblos to subarctic sweat lodges—Tony Horwitz explores the revealing gap between what we enshrine and what we forget. Displaying his trademark talent for humor, narrative, and historical insight, A Voyage Long and Strange allows us to rediscover the New World for ourselves.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- The Other Side of the Coin
This at least shows the fact that the origins of the USA's civilization is in the South. Spanish-speaking St. Augustine in Florida was the first European settlement, in 1565. The first-ever democratic elections in America were held in the Jamestown colony in 1607, etc. Because the North won the Civil War, they have written the history text books, which make it sound like Plymouth Rock was the cradle of the American nation. When in fact, the beginings of African-America were already one year in the past when the Pilgrims landed in New England, as African indentured servants landed on the Virginia coast in 1619. I am please to find Horwitz revealing the truth about this. I have not gotten there yet, but I am assuming he also credits the existence of the United States to the charity and patriotism ... Read More

Rating:

- A Fine, Funny, Thoughtful Voyage
A really interesting look (and at times very funny) at the odd blank spot in American history between Columbus and Jamestown, especially odd since so much actually happened during that time; Coronado, Soto, the first European colony in the US at Fort Caroline (founded by French Huguenots and now Jacksonville, which was founded later after the colony was massacred by the Spanish). Also very thoughtful at times about a nation's memory and why we revere the jerks at Plymouth Bay Colony rather than any of their predecessors (who weren't exactly saints either).

Rating:

- A forgotten historical time
For those who loved Confederates In The Attic, Tony Horwitz once again travels back into time, following the paths of Vikings, conquistadors and settlers. The main theme is the black hole Americans have of the time between Columbus and the Pilgrims, a not insignificant period of 128 years in which much occurred. Names like Coronado and DeSoto were just names in history books to many people, even well educated ones like Horwitz himself.

Horwitz writes about the historical misconceptions and other tidbits of this time which surround not only the explorers (Ponce de Leon was not in search of a fountain of youth, he never set foot in St. Augustine either) but also the natives (many Indian societies were scattered and loose confederations by the 16th century as opposed to their greater, ... Read More

Rating:

- A fun way to learn America's "true" origin
The "truth" about America's origins is uncovered in interesting storytelling fashion. At times it reads like page turner. It might broaden a reader's viewpoint but it will make "little difference", because "...Myths didn't just trump fact; they helped create it." If you have played (or know about) rounders and tried to explain it's connection to baseball to almost any baseball fan you know the author is "right" about that. But that is not necessarily a bad thing it keeps our "foundation" stable and thus strong.

Rating:

- Do read it, but not up to his usual standard
I heard Mr. Horwitz speak a few years ago. He mentioned that he was working on a book about the travels of De Soto. In the source section of this book, he mentions that he enough research on De Soto for three volumes. I suspect that he originally intended to have a book dedicated solely to De Soto and his travels, similar to Captain James Cook in Blue Latitudes. As the book developed, he and his editors thought it best to expand it to the breadth of discovery of North America. The result is somewhat a jumble. There is not the continuity you find in his other books. Chapter to chapter cover different subjects, and are disjointed. He tries to tie it together in a unified theme in the last chapter, but it does not really work.

The initial sections about Vineland and Columbus are ... Read More

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