Squanto: A Native Odyssey by Andrew Lipman

 

Title: Squanto:  A Native Odyssey

Author:  Andrew Lipman

Narrated by:  David Colacci

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Length: Approximately 8 hours and 59 minutes

Source: Review Copy from NetGalley.  Thank you!

What historical personage would you like to learn more about?  With Thanksgiving coming up, I decided to listen to an audiobook about Squanto, as I did not know much about the true historical figure.

Historian Andrew Lipman researched and describes Squanto’s childhood, kidnapping, career, downfall, and death using historical records.  Squanto had much more of a fascinating life than what is depicted in children’s books about Thanksgiving.

My thoughts on this book:

·       Squanto is known as both Squanto and Tisquantum in historical record.  He was part of the Patuxet Tribe of the Wampanoags. 

·       Squanto’s childhood was told in general of how his tribe was known to live at the time.

·       The book also discussed the meaning of the Manitou and how the name is passed down in place names such as the down the road town from me, Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

·       He was kidnapped by explorer, Captain Thomas Hunt, and sold in Spain.  By the time he made it back to his tribe, they were gone.  They had all died from a disease brought over by the European explorers.  Hunt had been exploring the Northeast with Captain John Smith.  They parted ways when Hunt decided he was going to make money by tricking Native Americans to board his ship to trade and sailing away with them to sell them as slaves.  Afterwards, explorers were instantly attacked when they appeared.

·       The Pilgrims of history are so different from what I learned in school.  As Squanto’s tribe had all died, the Pilgrims just showed up and settled on the tribes cleared land and stole other tribes’ corn to survive.  The Pilgrims had a hard time surviving, but it would have been even harder if they would have had to clear their own land and were not able to eat the Natives’ corn.

·       The last part of the book was about how the history of Squanto was passed down and how the story was “reimagined” and retold through modern day.  It is interesting when the real history doesn’t match the simplified tales that are told.  I’ve noticed that people will say this is “rewriting” history, when it is just going back to the historic record rather than inaccuracies that were passed down.

·       I thought it was interesting that there were native pirates.  They taught themselves how to sail ships that they overtook and surprised European explorers.

·       I didn’t realize that Squanto died so young and so soon after the historical Thanksgiving.

·       David Colacci, the audiobook narrator, had a newsperson type of voice and made the audiobook interesting.

Overall, Squanto:  A Native Odyssey by Andrew Lipman is an informative book and interesting audiobook experience which tells the fascinating history behind the myth of Squanto.  I highly recommend it.