Monday, 20 January 2014

Russell Shorto, The Island at the Centre of the World

 A history of the Dutch settlement of Manhattan and the surrounding area before the Duke of York marched in and took it (or it was taken on his behalf while he mooched around Greenwich). It seeks to explain how it was the multicultural, polyglot community of New York that sets the template for America rather than the intolerant monoculture of the puritans, the accepted birthplace of the US. Quite convincing, although I may have to revisit Albion's Seed to see how it fits in. Any excuse to reread that is alright with me though.

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