Four journeys by early Americans Mary Rowlandson, Sarah Kemble Knight, William Byrd II, and Dr. Alexander Hamilton recount the vivid physical and psychological challenges of colonial life. Essential primary texts in the study of early American cultural life, they are now conveniently collected in a single volume.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers...

The most important personal accounts of the Plymouth Colony, the key sources of Nathaniel Philbrick's New York Times bestseller Mayflower

National Book Award winner Nathaniel Philbrick and his father, Thomas Philbrick, present the most significant and readable original works that were used in the writing of Mayflower, offering a definitive look at a crucial era of America's history. The selections include William Bradford's "Of Plymouth Plantation" (1651), the most comprehensive of all contemporary accounts of settlement in seventeenth-century America;...

Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson is the first hand biographical story written by Mary Rowlandson. Rowlandson, a colonial woman in Lancaster, Massachusetts during the late 17th century, was captured by Native Americans for seven week and five days. Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson has been one of the most popular captivity narratives and is highly recommended for those who are interested in American history and those who enjoy reading captivity narratives.

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. .

Mary Rowlandson was an English woman who was taken captive by Native Americans during King Philip's War. An account of her ordeal was later published. From the preface: "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 Corrected and amended. Written by her own hand for her private use, and now made public at the...