America's Hidden History: Untold Tales of the First Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders Who Shaped a Nation - Softcover

Davis, Kenneth C

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0061562882 ISBN 13: 9780061562884

Publisher: Harper Large Print, 2008

Synopsis

Kenneth C. Davis, author of the phenomenal New York Times bestseller Don't Know Much About History, presents a collection of extraordinary stories, each detailing an overlooked episode that shaped the nation's destiny and character. Davis's dramatic narratives set the record straight, busting myths and bringing to light little-known but fascinating facts from a time when the nation's fate hung in the balance.

Spanning a period from the Spanish arrival in America to George Washington's inauguration in 1789, America's Hidden History details these episodes, among others:

• The story of the first real Pilgrims in America, who were wine-making French Huguenots, not dour English Separatists
• The coming-of-age story of Queen Isabella, who suggested that Columbus pack the moving mess hall of pigs that may have spread disease to many Native Americans
• The long, bloody relationship between the Pilgrims and Indians that runs counter to the idyllic scene of the Thanksgiving feast
• The little-known story of George Washington as a headstrong young soldier who committed a war crime, signed a confession, and started a war!

Full of color, intrigue, and human interest, America's Hidden History is an iconoclastic look at America's past, connecting some of the dots between history and today's headlines, proving why Davis is truly America's Teacher.

About this title

About the Author:

Kenneth C. Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of A Nation Rising; America's Hidden History; and Don't Know Much About® History, which spent thirty-five consecutive weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, sold more than 1.6 million copies, and gave rise to his phenomenal Don't Know Much About® series for adults and children. A resident of New York City and Dorset, Vermont, Davis frequently appears on national television and radio and has been a commentator on NPR's All Things Considered. He blogs regularly at www.dontknowmuch.com.

From AudioFile:

In looking at early America, from Spanish explorations to Shay's Rebellion, Davis starts by mentioning Flip Wilson and a comedy sketch about Queen Isabella. "History should be much more fun than most Americans believe it is," he explains before turning things over to narrator Sam Freed. Some anecdotes, describing the earliest "forensic dentistry" or the importance of a broken egg, are fun, but Freed mostly plays it straight. He's no lecturer, though; Freed's narration tells a dramatic story. Listeners may have heard some of these stories before--like the one about George Washington's alleged war crime--but will still enjoy the spin Davis and Freed put on these historic events. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Large Print
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0061562882
• ISBN 13: 9780061562884
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368