Discovering Somers Isles: A Guide to Bermuda's History 1500-1615 - Softcover

Archer, John M

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0996345558 ISBN 13: 9780996345552

Publisher: Maury Books, 2016

Synopsis

The fact that Bermuda was discovered at all might seem amazing: the tiny cluster of islands sits almost in the middle of 20,000,000 square miles of the North Atlantic. But sixteenth-century trade routes to the West Indies brought hundreds of ships through the turquoise waters surrounding its desolate shores - and left countless shipwrecks on its uncharted reefs. It is no small wonder that the Bermudas were once known as "Devil's Isles.

On the way to the struggling colony at Jamestown in May of 1609, the flagship of an English convoy was driven onto those reefs by a hurricane.  Battered and sinking, the "Sea Venture" was run aground by Admiral George Somers and miraculously, all 150 passengers survived. Their story, and how Bermuda came to be settled, is a remarkable tale of survival and perseverance.

This guide uses their words, together with maps and images, to allow readers to envision those shores with "seventeenth-century eyes," and discover for themselves what the settlers called "Somers Isles."

About this title

About the Author:

     An historian of the American Civil War, John Archer has long been fascinated with the early history of Bermuda. In addition to writing, he offers tours as a Licensed Guide for Gettysburg National Military Park. He has conducted several of the Park's Anniversary "Battlewalk" series, and the tours featured on Pennsylvania Cable TV.
     The author's other written work includes three interpretive tour books of various parts of the battle, as well as articles in several history periodicals. His first work of historical fiction, "After the Rain: A Novel of War and Coming Home," received Director's Mention for the Langum Prize in American Historical Fiction. This is the author's first book on Bermuda.

About this edition

• Publisher: Maury Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0996345558
• ISBN 13: 9780996345552
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 122