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New York 1609: Omnibus Edition

Harald Johnson (Goodreads Author)

4.51 · Rating details · 73 ratings · 17 reviews

Welcome to New York City, 1609.
When a Native American (Lenape) boy joins Henry Hudson's expedition up the river that now bears his name, the fearless and visionary--and misunderstood--Dancing Fish doesn't realize his entire world and way of life are in peril. Enthralled at first by these strangers, he begins to discover their dark and dangerous side, touching off a decades ...more

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Kindle Edition, 579 pages

Published May 13th 2018 by Phoozl, LLC

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Dec 06, 2018 Peter rated it it was amazing

Shelves: publisher-author-direct, historical-fiction, favorites

Colonisation
New York 1609: A Historical Novel (Omnibus Edition) is a collection of 4 novellas, each covering the following 4 time periods i) 1609 ii) 1612-13 iii) 1625-26 iv) 1640-44, and each chronicling the stages of European colonisation of Mannahatta Island and its surrounding area. As a complete set of novels, they form an incredibly visual and epic story of a changing native culture. The novel is about family, friends, society and our coexistence with nature and how different people value Colonisation
New York 1609: A Historical Novel (Omnibus Edition) is a collection of 4 novellas, each covering the following 4 time periods i) 1609 ii) 1612-13 iii) 1625-26 iv) 1640-44, and each chronicling the stages of European colonisation of Mannahatta Island and its surrounding area. As a complete set of novels, they form an incredibly visual and epic story of a changing native culture. The novel is about family, friends, society and our coexistence with nature and how different people value what the Earth provides. It illustrates the struggle with freedom, survival, beliefs, learning, greed, and an erosion of natural skills and identity. Harald Johnson tells the story primarily from the perspective of the Native American Indian, accepting that much is already written from the settler’s point of view.

To bring a sense of the time and place to a historical era, Harald Johnson vividly tells a fictional story of a young Manahate Indian, Dancing Fish, (part of the Lenape people who occupied the area known today as New York). He experiences the growing involvement and occupation of Europeans on his ancestral home. The natural flow of native people through the seasons is destructively upset never to return. In North America, this came with the demise of many Indian tribes and traditions.

On September 3, 1609, Henry Hudson sailed his ship, the Half Moon, into a bay and after anchoring, is greeted by naturals that come alongside his ship in their canoes to trade oysters and tobacco for knives and glass beads. Following the further engagement, Dancing Fish is selected by his tribe to accompany Hudson up-river, (the river that’s now named after him), as they attempt to find a new route to Russia. During his travels with Hudson, Dancing Fish sees the adventure and capability of these white men but also witnesses their greed, dishonesty and brutality.

“He knew now that the Souls of both prophets of the Fourth Fire had been on the ship. Good and evil. Light and darkness. Hudson and Joo-et were the two sides of the prophecy. Hudson was curiosity and open-mindedness. Joo-et was anger and hatred. Both sides had competed with each other, and both had influenced Dancing Fish in their own ways.”

Dancing Fish is a fabulously drawn character who is quite unique, even within his own tribe; a dreamer, an inventor, a thinker and a natural leader. He develops a close relationship with his mentor, Owl, and asks him if he will play a part in dealing with these white strangers. “You will play the most important part of all.” he says.

The story passes through periods when the traders started to arrive and trade knives, kettles and other tools for furs and tobacco. One particular trader injured and left behind during the winter, Claude Boucher, is to have a massive impact on Dancing Fish not only teaching him the Dutch and English languages but leaving a legacy and realisation that not all whites are evil. Traders give way to settlers and the inevitable conflict materialises.

Harald Johnson tackles various deeper issues in his novel with such a balanced and complementary approach that the entertaining story is never compromised. Many native cultures had such a spiritual connection with nature where it thrived and co-existed. With our progress and consumption exceeding what nature can provide, we kill to the point of extinction, we permanently destroy forests and we harm nature with pollution. What started in 1625 in this book could not be more evident than it is in today’s world.

This is a fascinating story that took my imagination on a wonderful excursion and never seemed to slow in its telling. But it is so much more, it is an exposé of how we dealt and continue to deal with cultures we have physical supremacy over and how we treat nature with greed and over-indulgence. Ultimately we can look at New York and wonder "How did we get here?"

This is a wonderful mixture of historical fact and fiction, expertly written. I would highly recommend this book and I feel a sense of loss now that it's finished.

Additional Information:
Search for Mannahatta Project on TED for a wonderful presentation by Eric Sanderson. ...more

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Jun 13, 2018 Winifred Morris rated it really liked it

Johnson’s writing is smooth, and this book is filled with well-developed characters and page-turning action. It tells the story of the European settlement of Manhattan from Henry Hudson’s exploration of the Hudson River to when the native population, depleted by disease and failed attempts to defend themselves, were forced to leave. I especially enjoyed the description of the Dutch settlement, a crude and miserable attempt in Johnson’s portrayal, with many of the Dutch more interested in making Johnson’s writing is smooth, and this book is filled with well-developed characters and page-turning action. It tells the story of the European settlement of Manhattan from Henry Hudson’s exploration of the Hudson River to when the native population, depleted by disease and failed attempts to defend themselves, were forced to leave. I especially enjoyed the description of the Dutch settlement, a crude and miserable attempt in Johnson’s portrayal, with many of the Dutch more interested in making and consuming alcohol than building a new colony. I also thought the book captured the complexity of the Indians’ response to the Europeans, as they hunted more and more of the fur animals to trade for the new steel tools, and some of them became too fond of the Europeans’ alcohol. I’m sure it’s true that they didn’t know what to do about these newcomers, at first amused by their ignorance and assuming they wouldn’t stay, then understandably appreciative of their tools. And since some of the tribes were warring with other tribes, the natives couldn’t respond in a unified way. I’m also sure they didn’t understand what the Dutch meant when they talked about purchasing the island. In fact, I wondered why the Dutch bothered to “purchase” it until I realized this probably had more to do with establishing their claim in the eyes of the British and the French than with their relationship to the natives.

I was less persuaded by some of the parts about the native population, and the story is told mostly from their point of view. Johnson was forced to rely on his imagination in regard to these parts since the natives of that time had only an oral tradition, so I guess I shouldn’t complain. I believe he followed historical sources whenever he could. But I felt he gave these people some anachronistic ideas about such things as conservation, and some of the plot has to do with a rivalry between two of the young men, which I just found less interesting than the historical rivalry between the natives and the Dutch.

This book combines the four novellas of Johnson’s Manhattan series, but he’s added a prologue that you might call the origin story of his primary point of view character, Dancing Fish. The prologue serves to unite the four novellas and gives New York 1609 more of the shape of a novel. But here I will say that Dancing Fish bothered me. He’s a fictional character, of course, but he’s also an unlikely character for the times. I’m sure there were Indian kids who had some European ancestry, dating from the arrival of the first European traders, but for Dancing Fish, somehow his European grandfather has given him unusual abilities to invent tools, learn European languages, and have ideas that challenge his tribe’s traditions. Maybe Johnson felt a character who sort of straddled both cultures would give a deeper perspective, but I struggled with Dancing Fish’s unique powers that he’d supposedly acquired through genetics.

That said, this is an entertaining book that takes the reader back to when Manhattan Island was largely forested with only one small fort, a few small farms, and a native population that was struggling to deal with the challenge of these new people. ...more

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Jun 11, 2019 Terry Tyler rated it it was amazing

I reviewed this via an ARC from the author, for Rosie Amber's Book Review Team. The fact that it was free has not affected the honesty of this review.

A terrific novel, telling of the 'discovery' of Manhattan Island by Henry Hudson, and the beginning of the callous and careless ruination of the Native American way of life.

The main character is the part-white Dancing Fish, who believes he is gifted with insight into the ways of the 'visitors' from the east. The story starts in 1609 and moves, thr ...more

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May 19, 2019 Sam Law rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-series, coming-of-age, ecology, environment, good-to-read, historical-fiction, history, innocence-experience, young-adult

Read More Book Reviews on my blog It's Good To Read
Summary:

This novel tells the story of the birth of New York, from its early days in 1609 and the arrival of Henry Hudson on the river that now bears his name, to the emergence and consolidation of the Dutch in the late 1640’s.

It is told, in the third person, primarily from the point of view of Dancing Fish, a young native in 1609 whose grandfather was white.

This is an omnibus edition, with the different stages being 1609, 1612-13, 1625-2 ...more

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Jul 31, 2018 Gerry Petencin rated it it was amazing

I started 1609 nearly a year ago, enjoyed it from the beginning, but (as seems to be habit with me, A.D.D.?) set it down unfinished. Anyhow I wanted a Kindle read for a plane trip this past week and fired up Harald's 1609 again. And found it to be an enjoyable, easy read from beginning (again) to end. I'm impressed by the amount of hard work - research the author has put into his effort, which he documents in an equally well written postscript, So here we are : 400 hundred years after Hudson "di ...more

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Jul 11, 2018 JD Jarvis rated it it was amazing

I would think an author would feel hemmed-in by history, you can’t change the ending and (talk about a spoiler-alert) everyone knows it already. But, with “New York 1609” author Harald Johnson proves its not the destination, but the journey that counts. History has already provided an amazing story, so what Harald does is to people the story with characters and situations that allow readers to feel that they know and have, to a degree, experienced that history. In particular, after reading 1609 ...more

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Jun 05, 2018 Andrew rated it it was amazing

I've thoroughly enjoyed the four books (or parts) that make up this Omnibus Edition of New York 1609. I always feel instantly transported to the magical island of "Mannahatta" when I read the fictional, yet very believable, accounts of the many characters in the stories. I've compiled comments for the first three books below, and I am still reading Book 4 (1640).

Book/Part 1: 1609: As someone who loves history (and to a lesser extent, historical fiction) I found this book to be both educational a I've thoroughly enjoyed the four books (or parts) that make up this Omnibus Edition of New York 1609. I always feel instantly transported to the magical island of "Mannahatta" when I read the fictional, yet very believable, accounts of the many characters in the stories. I've compiled comments for the first three books below, and I am still reading Book 4 (1640).

Book/Part 1: 1609: As someone who loves history (and to a lesser extent, historical fiction) I found this book to be both educational and thought-provoking. The author's use of descriptive phrases about the weather, water, wind, beverages, etc. had me feeling like I was on Manhattan island 400+ years ago with the native indian people, and in a sailing ship exploring "new" territory that of course, had been discovered probably thousands of years earlier by those who lived off the land. It's sad to think of the plight of those who lost their land, and this book goes into that as well.

I think that the author's experience as a swimmer, as he mentions at the end of the book, as well as the many books and other resources he consulted before writing the book, help give it a feeling of being actual history, without referencing too many facts, and instead focusing on the story and characters.

Book/Part 2: 1612: Once again, Harald Johnson has taken us back in time and delivered a story that brings us front and center into a culture rarely explored by western authors. I especially like how the author paints a picture of characters in just a few words or sentences, but in ways that really bring them to life. This book has more plot twists than the first, and I look forward to what intrigue is unveiled in the next book!

Book/Part 3: 1625: This is the third book of this series, and without giving away too much, the author packed this one with a lot more action (and some surprises). I especially like how pictures are painted by the author in just a few words that bring the characters to life. He also doesn't waste time on most scenes; a lot happens during this installment and I look forward to the next one!

Book/Part 4: 1640: As I read the last book in this Omnibus edition, the author really brings to life the characters in ways that make me feel as though I am witnessing the start of a concerted attempt of western European powers to take what they want from who they want with little thought about the native peoples. ...more

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Jun 30, 2018 Abigail Marks rated it it was amazing

Historical Fiction at its Best!

The expanded omnibus edition of this amazing work of historical fiction portrays the collision of two worlds from Henry Hudson’s “discovery of Manhattan” and the river that bears his name in 1609 through the decades that follow. With almost a half century scope, Mr. Johnson brings to life characters and events leading to the foundation of New York City on the ruins of the Native American tribes who called it home before first contact. Notwithstanding that arc, the ...more

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Aug 16, 2020 Thomas A. Simmons rated it really liked it

A powerful story of the. Indigenous people of Manhattan!

This is a rich work of historical indigenous people. It invoked thoughts of another, Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee. They are very different but just as powerful in the telling of how ruthlessly the original dwellers of America were killed and dispossessed. Johnson takes great care to give an accurate depiction of true characters and events. The reader identifies with the Indians but also the motives of the Europeans. In other words , we hav ...more

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Sep 26, 2018 John M. rated it it was amazing

Although I initially was concerned that the book’s 555-pages would be overwritten and boring, I am pleased to report that I was right to crack it open and read! Harald Johnson has written a gripping and exciting tale of early to mid-17th century history. Like any historical fiction work, New York 1609 is comprised of real and fictitious characters and events and all are presented in an even-handed way, warts and all. I especially appreciated the sympathetic way in which Johnson presented his Nat ...more

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Jul 11, 2018 Janet Stack rated it really liked it

This book tells the story of the Native American Manahate band and its relationship with the first white European explorers, traders, and settlers over a period of 35 years in what is now Manhattan. The two main characters are fictional young natives learning to deal with the encroaching white men in different ways. As the story progresses, the relationship between the natives and the Europeans goes from welcoming to warring. The author clearly did a great deal of careful research into the histo ...more

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Aug 15, 2019 Jann Grimes rated it really liked it

Enjoyed this and learning more about the Native Americans

Enjoyed reading this account of the beginning of what is now New York City. Was also surprised to find one of my very distant grandfathers with in the storyline. I am going to have to try to read more about Everardus Bogardus.

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Jun 13, 2018 Eric Z. rated it it was amazing

Super RICH stories and very very interesting!
These stories tell in great detail and SUSPENSE, not only the highs and lows of the characters, but the development of UR-New-York and the indigenous American tribes.

A review cannot go into the depth necessary, but suffice to say, this series is like "THE TRILOGY" of Historic Fiction -- good stuff all around! ...more

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Jul 27, 2018 Gilles Biscos rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Well written and well documented epic story! ….. Immense source of food for thoughts and inspiration as the immigration debate is gaining momentum around the world …. Impossible to look at New York City the same after reading this amazing book

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Jul 29, 2019 Helen Hollick rated it it was amazing

This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs

"The characters are well drawn, and interesting, as is the entire novel, while the author does not shy away from tackling various ‘political’ issues with a fair-minded balanced approach." ...more

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Nov 07, 2020 Kim molinaro rated it it was amazing

Deeply interesting and balanced read

I enjoyed the book so much. Finding the subject interesting, the authors balanced views well written and leading me also, to wonder how?

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Jun 17, 2020 Martine rated it it was amazing

I absolutely loved these novellas! They are so well written and I instantly connected with all the characters. I was sad to see the story come to an end. Well done!

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About Harald Johnson

Harald Johnson

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Harald Johnson is an author of both fiction and nonfiction, a publisher, and a lifelong swimmer—who actually swam nonstop around New York’s Manhattan island. His debut novel (New York 1609, 2018) was the first-ever to explore the birth of New York City (and Manhattan) from its earliest beginnings. His most recent novel series is a science-fiction, time-travel adventure (NEANDER, 2019, 2020) that p ...more