false 4531763 6 In this sweeping, enthralling biography, acclaimed historian David Hackett Fischer brings to life the remarkable Samuel de Champlain -- soldier, spy, master mariner, explorer, cartographer, artist, and Father of New France.<P>Born on France's Atlantic coast, Champlain grew to manhood in a country riven by religious warfare. The historical record is unclear on whether Champlain was baptized Protestant or Catholic, but he fought in France's religious wars for the man who would become Henri IV, one of France's greatest kings, and like Henri, he was religiously tolerant in an age of murderous sectarianism. Champlain was also a brilliant navigator. He went to sea as a boy and over time acquired the skills that allowed him to make twenty-seven Atlantic crossings without losing a ship.<P>But we remember Champlain mainly as a great explorer. On foot and by ship and canoe, he traveled through what are now six Canadian provinces and five American states. Over more than thirty years he founded, colonized, and administered French settlements in North America. Sailing frequently between France and Canada, he maneuvered through court intrigue in Paris and negotiated among more than a dozen Indian nations in North America to establish New France. Champlain had early support from Henri IV and later Louis XIII, but the Queen Regent Marie de Medici and Cardinal Richelieu opposed his efforts. Despite much resistance and many defeats, Champlain, by his astonishing dedication and stamina, finally established France's New World colony. He tried constantly to maintain peace among Indian nations that were sometimes at war with one another, but when he had to, he took up arms and forcefully imposed a new balance of power, proving himself a formidable strategist and warrior.<P>Throughout his three decades in North America, Champlain remained committed to a remarkable vision, a Grand Design for France's colony. He encouraged intermarriage among the French colonists and the natives, and he insisted on tolerance for Protestants. He was a visionary leader, especially when compared to his English and Spanish contemporaries -- a man who dreamed of humanity and peace in a world of cruelty and violence.<P>This superb biography, the first in decades, is as dramatic and exciting as the life it portrays. Deeply researched, it is illustrated throughout with many contemporary images and maps, including several drawn by Champlain himself. 2912993 book 14 10 2008 Champlain's Dream total:47|5:14|4:19|3:13|2:1|1:0| 47 187 137 18 5 0 false false Sat May 30 11:50:46 -0700 2009 Sat May 30 11:50:46 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Thu Jan 08 06:00:30 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 08 06:00:30 -0800 2009 Champlain’s Dream speaks with authority on the relatively unknown biography of one of the period’s leading figures. Fischer’s solid, comprehensive—and ultimat...more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu Aug 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jul 20 12:38:26 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 06 16:47:10 -0700 2009 more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 02 09:57:00 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 02 09:57:19 -0800 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false false Wed Dec 10 14:02:59 -0800 2008 Wed Dec 10 14:09:45 -0800 2008 more...]]> 0 0 false false Sat Jul 25 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 30 13:31:47 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 25 13:07:46 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Mon Jan 05 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Nov 13 20:08:48 -0800 2008 Sun Jan 11 20:08:40 -0800 2009 more...]]> 0 0 true false Thu Nov 19 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Nov 05 05:48:23 -0800 2009 Thu Nov 19 09:20:39 -0800 2009
November 19: Still reading. Just read about his arrival on the Lake, battle near Ticonderoga, etc.]]> 0 0 false false Sat Jan 03 12:21:28 -0800 2009 Sat Jan 03 12:22:48 -0800 2009 I've always been told that I am realted to Samuel.]]> 3 0 false false Tue Nov 25 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Nov 12 09:26:49 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 25 13:42:24 -0800 2008 5 0 false false Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat May 02 13:54:56 -0700 2009 Sat May 02 13:55:53 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Thu Feb 12 11:39:41 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 12 11:40:07 -0800 2009 4 0 false false Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Jan 25 10:53:57 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 25 10:54:46 -0800 2009 5 0 false false Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Sep 15 07:45:54 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 21 07:23:55 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Tue Nov 25 09:52:09 -0800 2008 Tue Nov 25 09:55:30 -0800 2008 more...]]> 0 0 false false Sun Jan 18 10:53:07 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 18 10:53:07 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Fri Sep 04 22:36:06 -0700 2009 Fri Sep 04 22:37:17 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Sun Aug 09 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 11 21:57:01 -0700 2009 Tue Aug 11 21:58:02 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Sat Nov 28 04:26:10 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 28 04:26:13 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Wed Nov 25 14:24:55 -0800 2009 Wed Nov 25 14:24:55 -0800 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=4531763