The Wordy Shipmates

Writer, and NPR contributor, and one-time cartoon voice Sarah Vowell's last book, "Assassination Vacation," charted her journey across the country to sites of note in the first three presidential assassinations, and her study of said events. In this book, she turns her attention to a group of people that have, if possible, an even worse image than homicidal maniacs- the Puritans. In particular, the settlers of the Massachusetts Bay colony. And as you may guess, she concludes that while they probably weren't a lot of fun, particularly if you happened to be a Pequot; and while some of their less pleasant traits are more prevalent in our country today than we like to admit; they're sorely underrated for their respect for knowledge- a value on which our nation was eventually built and of which, she suggests, America could use a refill. Vowell's style, mixing history with liberal dashes of personal revelation and pop culture references, might not appeal to everyone; but the woman has logged some serious library time and her research turns up gems such as this which are both revealing of her subject and reflective of her wry sense of humor:

...Endecott will send Governor Winthrop a letter complaining about how it's frowned upon for a justice of the peace to hit someone. Because Endecott, a justice of the peace, has just punched a defendant- in court. "If you had seen the manner of his carriage," continues Endecott, "with such daring of me, with his arms akimbo, it would have provoked a very patient man." He says that if it were suddenly legal for a judge to go around clocking people, "you should not hear me complain."