Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

I put this book in the context of the time
I decided to read this book after having read "Mayflower".It was apparently the first American bestseller and was popular in Britain also at the time.I was curious about how she was treated by the Indians.It certainly showed these Indians as ordinary people - which I should have expected.It did say something about these aborigines that they didn't rape her as so many other peoples would have done - spoils of war and all that.On the overall I found that the Indians treated her civilly.Of course the Indians had trouble finding food just as she did have obtaining food and they were trying to brave the attacks of her people all the time.The King Philip War was a tragedy.The Indians had been treated badly by the English (so what's new?)and in my estimation from what I read King Philip was not a jingoist like Moseley.Indeed I felt he was by nature a peaceful person like his father.I was shocked that the Mohawks sided against him.Well, war is hell and friends often turn into enemies for who knows what reason.At any rate, in conclusion, I felt that this is an important document and her religiosity was normal for the time, a time when John Hoar (a good guy) was thrown in jail for not attending church!I don't think you can appreciate this book using today's morals and behavior as the criterion.

Good book and clean
Great book, got it just in time for my american heritage class. Will recommend to all my friends.

History Facts , $$ Making Fiction or a Religious Missionary?
After reading books such as The Name of War by Jill Lepore and Dawnland Encounters by Colin Callaway, I am a bit skeptical of Mary's intentions for writing this piece.

The name of war has a section of how much press that King Philip's War received. It was astounding. In only a two-year period, there were 18+ books written on the war. Everyone with a press was trying to cash in with Europe so interested in the outcome.

Combining this information from Lepore with Colin Callaway's, I have come to doubt the information she gives. Callaway's book tries to escape the typical Euro-indian encounters, by discussing how they co-existed in economical, religious, and ecological terms. His studies on Native Americans taking prisoners, tellsa different story. In most cases, Native Americans from the North East tried to assimilate their captives into their own society to replace brethren lost in war. Though this did not always happen, it was more often than not. Callaway happens to be the leading authority on Native American studies.

Mary's description of her captivity tells a different story of threats, hunger, and slavery, in captivity while God and bible scriptures gave her hope. Having been the wife of a preacher, her words of God could be her attempt to fill reader's minds with religious beliefs in hopes of a conversion. I think it is a combination of all three.

Though she did have reason to hate the Native Americans which gives plausibility to her story, I still feel it is more fact than fiction. They did murder much of her family, including her 6-year old daughter which gave reasons of hate. But what other reason to actually write such a story but for the reason's aforementioned?

great history and great literature, too
Interestingly enough, I read this for a course on early American literature.But as a history major, I can say that it would have served equally well in a course on, say, Colonial New England or Social Life in Colonial America.It provides fascinating insights into Puritan life--especially into its religious beliefs and practices and the huge role they played in the life of a Puritan.Moreover, it chronicles the contact of two societies at odds:Puritans and Native Americans.Rowlandson's descriptions of her captors are exceedingly interesting and give depth to any consideration of life in early America.Salisbury's notes and introduction are also quite helpful.Read as a piece of literature, moreover, The Sovereignty and Goodness of God proves to be a fruitful topic for study, as well as a great complement to its function as an historical document.Considering my English course included some rather unsavory texts, this one was much appreciated and quite refreshing, too.

A fascinating historic document
"The Sovereignty and Goodness of God, Together with the Faithfulness of His Promises Displayed," by Mary Rowlandson, is a compelling piece of colonial American literature. First published in 1682, this autobiographical text represents a genre of literature known as the "captivity narrative": a first-person account of a white settler who was held as a hostage or prisoner by Native Americans. In Rowlandson's case, she was taken captive during Metacom's War (also known as King Philip's War), which took place in 1675-1676.

The edition of Rowlandson's book edited by Neal Salisbury is excellent. This edition contains Rowlandson's text, together with a wealth of other materials: a thorough introduction, many maps, a chronology, a bibliography, and other historic documents from Rowlandson's era. The many illustrations include photographs of the title pages of earlier editions.

Rowlandson's captivity narrative is a significant milestone in American literature; the introduction to the Salisbury edition notes that the text "has been almost continually in print since 1770." Since the text itself is relatively short, it has appeared in anthologies (see, for example, "The Harper Single Volume American Literature," third edition). But the many "extras" in the Salisbury edition definitely make it a book worth buying, even if you have an anthology already containing the Rowlandson text.

Rowlandson's memoir itself is not great literature stylistically. But it is a fascinating text with some really striking passages. Rowlandson's extreme evangelical Puritanism will likely alienate or bewilder some modern readers, but her religious attitude should be read in historic and cultural context. Similarly, her extremely racist descriptions of Indians ("merciless Heathen," "ravenous Beasts," etc.) should to be read in context (but should not be trivialized, especially in multiethnic classrooms where this text might be taught).

This book is a significant document of contact between cultures in times of extreme crisis. It is an especially intriguing text for those careful readers who really try to read "between the lines." Recommended as companion texts: William Apess' "A Son of the Forest and Other Writings" (Apess was a pioneer Native American writer) and James Fenimore Cooper's novel "The Last of the Mohicans." ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Abridged
For those wanting to find a low-cost edition of Mary Rowlandson's "Narrative," this probably isn't the text for you.The product description doesn't mention that there have been numerous abridgments to her work--"certain reflections that are not essential to the narrative," according to its editor.This includes her concluding reflection about how she no longer is able to "sleep quietly without workings in my thoughts," along with other remarks concerning Puritan policies toward Native Americans.Also omitted are all of Rowlandson's scriptural citations (where she explicitly maps her own experiences onto biblical narrative) and the "Per Amicus" introduction to her work.

What remains still is a compelling story, I guess, but much simplified and incomplete.

Interesting for research.
I found this helpful in reference to what pioneer life was like before these United States of America. ... Read more

Product Description
The sovereignty and goodness of GOD, together with the faithfulness of his promises displayed, being a narrative of the captivity and restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, commended by her, to all that desires to know the Lord's doings to, and dealings with her. Especially to her dear children and relations. The second Addition [sic] Corrected and amended. Written by her own hand for her private use, and now made public at the earnest desire of some friends, and for the benefit of the afflicted. Deut. 32.39. See now that I, even I am he, and there is no god with me, I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal, neither is there any can deliver out of my hand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The first new world captivity story
This account describes how, during the Anglo-Indian war called King Philip's war, on 10 February, 1675, Mary Rowlandson's world was shattered when Narragansett Indians raided, pillaged and burned her village of Lancaster, Massachusetts. Her minister husband was away "in the bay" but the majority of the villagers died in the raid, including her sister, brother-in-law, and nephew. Her eldest son and daughter were taken and held captive in different wilderness areas. Mary and her badly injured six-year-old daughter were made to follow the tribe as they moved around searching for food and trying to elude the British army.

The first chapter is as off-putting as it is absorbing. Mary's words, just as the events they describe, tumble over each other in a kind of uncontrolled chaos that leads one to believe that she has only a minimal grasp of literary form. More likely, the chaos arose from her attempt to set this part of this account down and move quickly past the pain she felt in describing it. She tells the remainder of her story in "removes" which relate to her and the tribe's trek around the areas of Vermont, New Hampshire and the Connecticut River. Each of the removes-by contrast-is clearly, succinctly, and sometimes poetically written.

Mary used her experiences to describe what it means to be truly hungry, when raw horse liver and boiled hooves taste delectably, when broth made of maggots is thankfully accepted, when feeling faint is a natural part of daily life. Even in her desperate state, however, she makes it clear that her captors were hungry too, and cold. She remembers the warm cabin and comfortable bed of her past life and realizes that such comforts have never been part of her captors' past. She also alludes to the fact that not all her captors are cruel, as exhibited by her gladness to see her master, Quinnapin, after his three-week absence.

Since not all her captors were as kind as Quinnapin, she learned to barter her knitting and sewing skills for food and shelter during his absence. Later, she demonstrates her skills at bartering goods. When she received word from her husband, she remarked on the positive effects of her twelve weeks of captivity:

"Amongst other things which my husband sent me, there came a pound of tobacco, which I sold for nine shillings in money; for many of the Indians for want of tobacco, smoked hemlock, and ground ivy. It was a great mistake in any, who thought I sent for tobacco; for through the favor of God, that desire was overcome."

In addition to her bartering skills, another key to her survival was a Bible the tribe had plundered along with several scalps. The Indian who had taken possession of the Bible gave it to Mary and agreed that the tribe would allow her to read it. This Bible became "my guide by day and my pillow by night." She quotes many passages from her Bible, the most notable of which might be:

"Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return: the Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord."
The Bible, Job 1:21, quoted by Mary Rowlandson ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. Purchasers are entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Indian captivities; King Philip's War, 1675-1676; Indians of North America; Lancaster (Mass.); History / Native American; History / United States / Colonial Period (1600-1775); Social Science / Ethnic Studies / Native American Studies; Biography ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The first American Best-seller, writen by a woman
I read this good book, here in Brazil. This book was writen in the XVII century and is the first American Best-seller, writen by a woman.
Please I didn't read this ediction published by Dodo Press, but an old ediction available online.
The author, Mary White was born in England, but she immigrated with her family to the Massachusetts Bay Colony and grew up there. Mary White married Joseph Rowlandson, a Puritan minister.
She was a deeply religious woman; a true puritan, as you can read in this book. In fact, Mary White writes about God and bible, in almost every page of this short book. Another reviewer told that that Mary White was unfair with the Indians, but she never wrote that her treatment by the Indians, could be better.
The Indians coud not win or even survive, to the war led against them by the whites.
And they know this fact.
The American Indian King Philip or Metacomet was knowed, by the author of this book. In fact, King Philip or Metacomet was the leader of the Indians that captured Mary White. King Philip or Metacomet was murdered by another Indian, in 1676.
Good things in this book:
1- No fiction. All facts are true, even with prejudices, normal when this book was writen.
2- No contaminations with leftists liars borned after this book was writen, such as Jean Jacques Rousseau or Karl Marx. The savages of this book are the real savages, not the hoax of the "good savage" created by Jean Jacques Rousseau.
3- If you want to read the caracter of the persons that started, the strongest military and economic power of all times, this book is a good choice to begin.

please give your review a title
type your review in the space below.Come on,read this book and see a bit of amerika's past.

Obesity
If you're fat and found dieting is genuine starvation...blah, blah and you can't fill yourself now-you're real and not head tripping, you'll be interested to know that Mary Rowlandson could never feel physically fullafter the captivity.She points out that the Bible even mentions that syndrome. I recently switched to Creationism because everything in the Bible eventually turns out to be true scientifically.There is a malfunction from going too hungry that we haven't medically figured out yet.It is there in our faces.Mary and her Bible is to behold.The Lord used her.He used her to prove he is always right. She is for the year 2007.She went through that horror for our times.Not hers. "Twiggy" body is anti-christ and causes a real disease of perpetual hunger.

a first person narrative is one of the best kind of books
Because it is a first hand account-and who better to tell the story than the person who lived through it?
That's why I take offense at the reviewer who said this book is too one-sided. Hello? Would YOU care to live through a New England winter without any modern conveniences? Would YOU like to be taken captive by hostile savages and have your life distrupted and your child die as a result? Perhaps it's not politically correct these days to see indians as savages but excuse me-they raped women and killed children. They burned homes and tortured men. Like it or not that's how many of them were back then. (Notice I didn't say ALL so don't get your dander up.)
This book is a look at a person's life and her perspective on it. How she dealt with a tragedy of unknown modern proportions. How she lived through it and what she learned from it.
Fascinating stuff, in my opinion.

Very One sided
I loved all of this witches acounts of Wheetamoo, greatest sachem ever! but she was sooooooo one sided! I hated how she talked about the Sachem Wheetamoo. I wish that she was more two-sided and it is NOT understandable of her harsh words twordWheetamoo or any of the FRIENDLY indians The author is a mean witch with a b! ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
On the tenth of February 1675, came the Indians with great numbers upon Lancaster: their first coming was about sunrising; hearing the noise of some guns, we looked out; several houses were burning, and the smoke ascending to heaven. There were five persons taken in one house; the father, and the mother and a sucking child, they knocked on the head; the other two they took and carried away alive. There were two others, who being out of their garrison upon some occasion were set upon; one was knocked on the head, the other escaped; another there was who running along was shot and wounded, and fell down; he begged of them his life, promising them money (as they told me) but they would not hearken to him but knocked him in head, and stripped him naked, and split open his bowels. Another, seeing many of the Indians about his barn, ventured and went out, but was quickly shot down. There were three others belonging to the same garrison who were killed; the Indians getting up upon the roof of the barn, had advantage to shoot down upon them over their fortification. Thus these murderous wretches went on, burning, and destroying before them.

Download Narrative Of The Captivity And Restoration Now! ... Read more

Product Description
Although little known today, this story was once widely regarded as a classic of American literature. First published in 1682, it has seen over forty editions in the past three centuries, and it marked the beginning of a very popular and uniquely American form of literature, the so-called captivity narrative, which was the predecessor of the American western novel. This book also holds a prominent place in women's literature since it is the first full length prose work published in America written by a woman.. ... Read more

Product Description
The sovereignty and goodness of GOD, together with the faithfulness of his promises displayed, being a narrative of the captivity and restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, commended by her, to all that desires to know the Lord's doings to, and dealings with her. Especially to her dear children and relations. The second Addition [sic] Corrected and amended. Written by her own hand for her private use, and now made public at the earnest desire of some friends, and for the benefit of the afflicted. Deut. 32.39. See now that I, even I am he, and there is no god with me, I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal, neither is there any can deliver out of my hand.

On the tenth of February 1675, came the Indians with great numbers upon Lancaster: their first coming was about sunrising; hearing the noise of some guns, we looked out; several houses were burning, and the smoke ascending to heaven. There were five persons taken in one house; the father, and the mother and a sucking child, they knocked on the head; the other two they took and carried away alive. There were two others, who being out of their garrison upon some occasion were set upon; one was knocked on the head, the other escaped; another there was who running along was shot and wounded, and fell down; he begged of them his life, promising them money (as they told me) but they would not hearken to him but knocked him in head, and stripped him naked, and split open his bowels. Another, seeing many of the Indians about his barn, ventured and went out, but was quickly shot down. There were three others belonging to the same garrison who were killed; the Indians getting up upon the roof of the barn, had advantage to shoot down upon them over their fortification. Thus these murderous wretches went on, burning, and destroying before them.

At length they came and beset our own house, and quickly it was the dolefulest day that ever mine eyes saw. The house stood upon the edge of a hill; some of the Indians got behind the hill, others into the barn, and others behind anything that could shelter them; from all which places they shot against the house, so that the bullets seemed to fly like hail; and quickly they wounded one man among us, then another, and then a third. About two hours (according to my observation, in that amazing time) they had been about the house before they prevailed to fire it (which they did with flax and hemp, which they brought out of the barn, and there being no defense about the house, only two flankers at two opposite corners and one of them not finished); they fired it once and one ventured out and quenched it, but they quickly fired it again, and that took. Now is the dreadful hour come, that I have often heard of (in time of war, as it was the case of others), but now mine eyes see it. Some in our house were fighting for their lives, others wallowing in their blood, the house on fire over our heads, and the bloody heathen ready to knock us on the head, if we stirred out. Now might we hear mothers and children crying out for themselves, and one another, "Lord, what shall we do?" Then I took my children (and one of my sisters', hers) to go forth and leave the house:

Download Narrative Of The Captivity And Restoration (1635-1716) Now! ... Read more

Product Description
The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars.
The Age of Enlightenment profoundly enriched religious and philosophical understanding and continues to influence present-day thinking. Works collected here include masterpieces by David Hume, Immanuel Kant, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as religious sermons and moral debates on the issues of the day, such as the slave trade. The Age of Reason saw conflict between Protestantism and Catholicism transformed into one between faith and logic -- a debate that continues in the twenty-first century.
++++
The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification:
++++
British Library

W015643



Boston : Printed by T. Fleet, for Samuel Phillips, at the Three Bibles and Crown in King-Street, 1720. 80p. ; 8° ... Read more

Product Description
To Which Is Appended A Century Sermon, Preached At The First Parish In Lancaster, May 28, 1753, By Reverend Timothy Harrington. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: Carter, Andrews, and Co. in 1828 in 102 pages; Subjects: Indian captivities; Lancaster (Mass.); Indians of North America; Biography & Autobiography / Women; History / Native American; History / United States / Colonial Period (1600-1775); Social Science / Ethnic Studies / Native American Studies; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book.History fromher own hand.
I've taken to reading history lately, but only those works written by those actually there.This is Mary's own personal diary, kept for her two years of captivity by Indians in 1675.This is one of my more cherished books.
Her village was attacked by Indians and all present killed or taken hostage.Her neighbor's murders were described.
*Mine is a 1930 edition signed by the owners of the only 1903 edition which it was reprinted from.
Read what life (and death) was really like with the Indians as neighbors.Not the "history rewritten" version we are being taught.

-The 5 stars are for it's value to me.It is not written by a great author, nor is it many hundreds of pages long.It is a straight forward diary. ... Read more

Product Description
Title: The Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson. First Printed in 1682 at Cambridge, Massachusetts, ... Read more

Product Description
New, Unabridged on 2 CD’s; Shrinkwrapped. Narrated by Carrington MacDuffie.

In February of 1675 Narragansett Indians lay siege to Mary Rowlandson’s village.Most were killed."The bullets flying thick, one went through my side, and the samethrough the bowels of my dear child in my arms."This marvelous reading of her account, descriptive and mindful of the will of God, is a very powerful audiobook. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
pubOne.info thank you for your continued support and wish to present you this new edition. Now away we must go with those barbarous creatures, with our bodies wounded and bleeding, and our hearts no less than our bodies. About a mile we went that night, up upon a hill within sight of the town, where they intended to lodge. There was hard by a vacant house (deserted by the English before, for fear of the Indians). I asked them whether I might not lodge in the house that night, to which they answered, “What, ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Captive Narrative
One of the principle genres of American literature of the 17th century was the so-called captive narrative, an account of the experience of being taken captive and living with Indians. Mary Rowlandson was a woman captured in an Indian raid on her village of Lancaster, MA. Although other women who had been captured and released told their stories to ministers who then wrote and published them, Rowlandson wrote her own account of her three-month-long experience. It was a best seller of its time.

Hilary Holladay has taken Rowlandson's narrative and created a series of poems to tell the story in Rowlandson's voice. To balance the account, Holladay writes four poems in the voices of Rowlandson's captors. This Native American voice is important to the story. Holladay gives them as much humanity as Rowlandson herself. "The Dreams of Mary Rowlandson" helps modern readers understand how encounters between Native Americans and Europeans changed and influenced each, and eventually created the people we call Americans.

I believe that when history and poetry come together, a more fully nuanced story may be told. While history demands supportable factual information, poetry allows emotion a prominent place. As a woman with a husband and children, Holladay is able to empathize with Rowlandson and imagine her feelings during this separation from her family. Holladay relies on Rowlandson's text, the primary document, introducing nothing that was not in the original. What she does with these facts, however, is to bring this 17th century woman to life in a way that 21st century readers are able to appreciate. ... Read more