When the British wrested New Amsterdam from the Dutch in 1664, the truth about its thriving, polyglot society began to disappear into myths about an island purchased for 24 dollars and a cartoonish peg-legged governor. But the story of the Dutch colony of New Netherland was merely lost, not destroyed. Drawing on the archives of the New Netherland Project, Russell Shorto has created a gripping narrative that transforms our understanding of early America. The Dutch colony pre-dated the 'original' thirteen colonies, yet it ...
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When the British wrested New Amsterdam from the Dutch in 1664, the truth about its thriving, polyglot society began to disappear into myths about an island purchased for 24 dollars and a cartoonish peg-legged governor. But the story of the Dutch colony of New Netherland was merely lost, not destroyed. Drawing on the archives of the New Netherland Project, Russell Shorto has created a gripping narrative that transforms our understanding of early America. The Dutch colony pre-dated the 'original' thirteen colonies, yet it seems strikingly familiar. Its capital was cosmopolitan and multi-ethnic, and its citizens valued free trade, individual rights, and religious freedom. Their champion was a progressive, young lawyer named Adriaen van der Donck, who emerges in these pages as a forgotten American patriot and whose political vision brought him into conflict with Peter Stuyvesant, the autocratic director of the Dutch colony. The struggle between these two strong-willed men laid the foundation for New York City and helped shape American culture. The Island at the Center of the World uncovers a lost world and offers a surprising new perspective on our own.
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Add this copy of The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story to cart. $21.94, new condition, Sold by Ria Christie Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Uxbridge, MIDDLESEX, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2014 by Abacus.
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New. 2014. Paperback. A richly nuanced portrait of the unknown history of New York City. Num Pages: 416 pages, 8pp b/w. BIC Classification: 1KBBEY; 3JD; HBJK; HBLH. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 198 x 127 x 26. Weight in Grams: 284......We ship daily from our Bookshop.
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New. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 416 p. Contains: Illustrations. In Stock. 100% Money Back Guarantee. Brand New, Perfect Condition, allow 4-14 business days for standard shipping. To Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. protectorate, P.O. box, and APO/FPO addresses allow 4-28 business days for Standard shipping. No expedited shipping. All orders placed with expedited shipping will be cancelled. Over 3, 000, 000 happy customers.
Add this copy of The Island at the Center of the World: The Epic Story to cart. $13.08, new condition, Sold by Cindmaur Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from New Hyde Park, NY, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by Vintage.
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I am not a scholar of the subject and bought this book for background information for genealogical research I am doing for a friend of Dutch ancestry. It presents a lot of information that is glossed over in school, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a jumping off point to more in-depth research.
John R
May 1, 2014
Nice read!
It's good to read a decent history book. Explains the beginnings of Manhattan.
chuck
Aug 7, 2008
great book
One of the very best books on colonial US history. It should be read by all Americans. It read like a novel. It is exciting and informative.
