I'm no history buff, but my wonderful wife is. She borrowed this from the library for me, and I have to say I'm thankful for it.

It's a very interesting read; mostly the detailed description of the Pilgrims and their struggle to come to New England, their struggles to find a proper settlement site, and their struggles to survive.

We all remember the Thanksgiving story we first heard in elementary school, but how much of that is accurate? ... I was fascinated to learn how the story evolved over time and lead to Thanksgiving becoming a national holiday under President Lincoln, how the storied Plymouth Rock broke twice before being returned back to it's original resting place, how 50 years of peace and economic growth in New England took decades to recover after King Philip's War ended, and how many aspects of what we call the "American Spirit" were first demonstrated by the Pilgrims and their descendants.

While the title suggest an exclusive focus on expanding the understanding of the Pilgrim's story in coming to America, those who read it with this expectation may find it a little misleading. The book starts there but spends half of its time on King Philip's War. I had to remind myself that the author stated in the introduction that he was really researching the war when it became clear that he couldn't fully express the it without a better understanding of the Mayflower story and the many years leading up to the war.

I gained a greater appreciation for the dedication and suffering of the Pilgrims, Puritans, and Native Americans of the 17th century. The significance of this portion of American history has made an undeniable impression on me and caused me to reflect on how the following centuries could have been altered had certain events happened differently.