Book Description
Publication Date: April 29, 2008

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.

Sent as a surprise to fulfill a wish :-)

Thanks so much for sending this, Eponine38! I'm definitely looking forward to reading this one. It's jumped firmly onto the pile labeled "read in the next few months." ;)

Sadly, MaryZee passed suddenly in September 2012. MaryZee's daughter is now ready to rehome her mom's books and I was willing to collect and redistribute them to keep her literary legacy alive.

From the library of the late MaryZee, a dear friend. 6of8 was kind enough to collect them all and distribute them among BCinDC members. This is one of those books. MaryZee was an avid BookCrosser, so I will be releasing this in her honor.

...on second thought, I think I'll hold onto this one for a while. It looks interesting.

When the author realized he didn't really know anything about European history in America between Columbus and Jamestown, he decided to go looking. I had a similar hole in my education, so it was fun to join him on the journey. From the Vikings through Columbus, the Conquistadors, the French, and the early English, this book covers a whole lot of events rarely discussed in elementary school. There is, of course, a whole lot of barging in on native people and slaughtering them wholesale, but it's not all dark. In fact, some of it is quite pleasant, and there's even a fair bit of humor. Recommended.

Bringing this to today's BCinDC meetup in Alexandria, VA.

---

Welcome to BookCrossing!
Thank you so much for picking up this book. Please make a journal entry here on this page if you haven’t already done so to let me know that this book has found a good home. You may choose to remain anonymous or to join (it is entirely free). If you choose to join, please consider using any previous reader of this book, or me, melydia, as the member who referred you.
I really hope you enjoy the book you found! When you’re done reading it, you can make another journal entry with your comments here to let me know what you thought of it. You can keep the book forever and ever or pass it on to someone else. If you’re giving it to someone directly, make another journal entry saying so. If you choose to leave it somewhere “in the wild” for anyone to catch, make release notes that indicate where you left it. If you register, you will be alerted by e-mail each time someone makes another journal entry. It’s all confidential (you’re known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address), free, and spam-free. Then you can track this book as it goes on its journey!

I picked this up at a Bookcrossing meetup a few years ago, and it is still on my TBR list. But someone gave me another copy recently, so now I have two. I'm going to pass this one on to another Bookcrosser.

I'm bringing this one to the BCinDC event today at ResQGeek's house.

********************************

Welcome to BookCrossing!

Making a journal entry here lets me know the book has been found and is safe in your hands. The book is yours now! Read it, give it to a friend, pass it on, or keep it forever--it's your choice.

If you pass it on to someone or leave it "in the wild" for someone else to find, please make another journal entry or release notes here to explain that it's traveling to find another home.

You can remain anonymous on the website or join BookCrossing. Joining is free, safe, and spam-free and you'll get an e-mail every time a new person finds this book and logs in on the site to say so. You'll be able to watch it move around and find out where it's been and what other readers thought of it.

I hope you enjoy the book. Happy reading!