What I've Read for Columbus Day -- and Afterwards



I've always liked Tony Horwitz's writing and this book -- about the early days of America -- was no exception. A lot of what he wrote about wasn't exactly old news to me, After all, I'm an American History buff and have been especially interested in early America (especially the Spanish explorers he wrote about in this book) -- but I appreciate how he wrote about it in a way that would interest even non-buffs.

Of course, some of the things I learned from this book weren't always flattering to my Hispanic ancestors. For example, I was more than a bit shocked to learn that the main reason that Florida's St. Augustine is America's oldest permanent settlement was that its Spanish founder did his damnedest to wipe out the remnants of an older French Huguenot colony that was close to the same location. Indeed, he had been sent to the New World specifically to wipe out such settlements.

Of oourse, not all the events detailed in this book were that depressing but Horowitz did present a more complex picture of early America than I normally see in history books. So much so that it was almost a shame to see Horwitz tapering off when he got to the Anglo-American colonists. (Though to be fair, not everything he wrote about those colonists were all that flattering either.)

Anyway, the book was a good read and though I'm embarrassed to admit that I had to check it out from the library twice before I finished it, I suspect I will checking it out again in the future for a second and third read, if not more.