George Muller was an extra ordinary man. One who trusted completly on the Lord to provide all his needs, and without asking or telling anyone what was needed. The Lord tested Muller's faith many times, but always delivered on His perfect timing. For those who don't know about George Muller; he built a very large orphan housing totally by petition to God in prayer, without asking or soliciting to anyone else, but to God alone (the Triune God of Holy Scripture). God literaly gave Muller millions; for his heart was for the children and God's will, not for his gain. Muller was so blessed by his work for the Lord and the orphans, that he lived a very fulfilled, yet humble life. This is a must read if ever there was one. Sadly, it's out of print. This book must be put back in print ASAP. May God grant us all the strong Biblical faith that of Muller. God bless. PS Also by Rodger Steer, you must read "George Muller: Delighted in God." This book is still available.

After reading David Wilkerson and Lester Jacobs promote this mans life and history in the Lord---I have to read this book! Is there anyone out there that could share one with me? - Or sell me one? Publisher is sold out, so I"m counting on my christian friends out there to hep me once again..Thank you so much in advance...Christian Love

This well edited selection of George Muller's own writings is a faith builder second to none. Living without fund-raising, or even letting the needs of the ministry be known, the account of the depth of trust that Mr. Muller developed in God's soveriegn supply for over 10,000 orphans, and his reasons for doing so are practical, inspiring, and just what is needed in the face of the post-modernist onslaught. Stories mixed with excerpts from Mr. Muller's own diary and other writing bring real life to this easy to read book. One of the very best I have ever read.

My 7 year old and 4 year old asked me to read this book every night since before Thanksgiving. It's December and they are still requesting it. The words are so simple, that they now recognize most of them and read to me! Simple words, but great story.

I picked this book up for the holidays ... hoping it would explain the tradition to my toddler. Throughly impressed! The book explains the traditions and history in enough detail for my two year-old to understand and enjoy! Would highly recommend. Hope the author continues to write books about the holidays for the young!

Nice clear pictures, short, simple, interesting story with appropriate emphasis on God's role in the pilgrim's lives (without being a "religious" book). My favorite thanksgiving book for little kids.

I am continually amazed at how children's books offer detail and insight into daily life that no stout history book can provide.

Writing the same review for the other two in this trilogy. Excellent all!

Another great book by Kate Waters. This book shows the daily life of a Native American child during the time of the Pilgrims. This book goes great with Sarah Morton's Day and Samuel Eaton's Day. Also, check out On the Mayflower also by Kate Waters.

We are big fans of Kate Waters' books about the Pilgrims (Samuel Eaton's Day, Sarah Morton's Day and On the Mayflower). When we discovered "Tapenum's Day", we were thrilled ! I found the 'point of view' from a young Native American boy to be both fascinating and educational, as did my children. We enjoyed seeing this historically accuate slice of life, written from a balanced perspective. I think this wonderful book rounds out the collection, including the other four, that no study of the Pilgrims should be without.

I highly recommend this book. As the daughter of a Cherokee-English African-American woman,educator and grandmother I was always taught the truth along with my brothers about this very important holiday/harvest festival. Early on we were taught to share what we had with the less fortunate and to give to others who really needed something. Also my grandmother the late,great Hattie Little-Tabor who was my mom's mother fed homless people who stopped by her home during the Great Depression. This book brought back full circle the fact that we must all strive to work together to overcome greed to serve all in need. I highly recommend this book.

This is a beautifully written and exquisitely photographed book about the first Thanksgiving celebration in 1621 (according to the Western calendar). The photos were taken during re-enactments at Plimoth Plantation, and are historically accurate as well as lovely to look at. The text gives the Wampanoag perspective on the event with sensitivity and vibrancy. All in a book that is clearly successful in engaging young readers, no matter how much or how little they already know--or think they know--about the history of Thanksgiving.

I couldn't put this book down until I was done. Although it was a mere 107 pages long, it was full of fascinating tidbits. My 3 children (ages 3 to 9) begged me to read more from the book as a reward for getting ready for bed in record time! This will be a book that will be in our collection from now on! Never before have I had such a healthy respect for the brave Pilgrims of Plymouth. Eating the Plates will add a special dimension to our study of the Pilgrims.

If you are a teacher, if you home school your children or even if you're just a mom like me that loves history and wants to share it with her children---Eating The Plates is a great place to get started. I loved this book! Young and old alike will learn what it might have actually been like to have come across the ocean on the Mayflower. I have shared it with children from kindergarten age through junior high(and I myself as well as other adults have enjoyed it). They were all held spellbound and came away having learned a great deal of respect for the people who settled our country and whom we often take for granted--the Pilgrims. They were real people with hopes and dreams! Lucille Recht Penner makes them and their struggles come alive. The recipes at the end of the book were especially fun to try. I highly recommend this book

Thanksgiving is given a new point of view and retelling in this very special picture book. Jean Craighead George, the Newbery Medal-winning author of JULIE OF THE WOLVES, as well as nearly 100 distinguished nature books for young readers, presents the story of the first Thanksgiving with warmth, fascinating detail, and lyrical as well as informative storytelling. Thomas Locker's colorful, classical paintings beautifully complement the author's words. The story begins with the formation of Plymouth Rock, a huge, two-million year old glacial mass that comes to rest in Cape Cod. Then the Pawtuxet tribe arrives, earning their living from the land, including Squanto, who is later captured by Englishmen and sold into slavery. Across the ocean, Pilgrims seeking religious freedom set out on a perilous voyage to America. Upon reaching the New World, they must deal with many hardships including disease, starvation, and death. Still the Pilgrims endure. In the springtime, Squanto, freed from slavery and now a member of another Indian tribe, arrives, bringing peace to the people of Plymouth. He teaches them how to grow crops, catch fish, hunt deer and turkey, showing the Pilgrims the importance of respecting the land and using it wisely. In 1621, after a bountiful harvest, a great celebratory feast takes place for three days, in which the people gather and eat and play games--the first Thanksgiving. This story is a unique portrayal of historical events, always keeping the reader intrigued and awed, with its terrific writing and inspirational illustrations. As she does in every one of her books, Jean Craighead George reminds us of the need to honor our natural resources and every living thing on the planet. In this story, too, she sends a message of peace that will inspire every person and reach beyond one day in November, to give thanks every day for what we have.

Want to know where Plymouth Rock came from and what it has to do with the pilgrims? What happened when the Mayflower finally sighted land? This is the book for you. The First Thanksgiving is history, community, geology, and science in a very beautifully illustrated and believable story of the colonization of Massachusetts. The pilgrims came to the New World looking for religious freedom only to be met by fear, death, hunger, and an insightful and helpful Pawtuxet, Squanto. It was from his willingness to share his knowledge that we have the celebration of Thanksgiving.

In this compact book, John Demos paints a superb and informative picture of everyday life in early colonial Massachusetts. I'm delighted to see that a new edition has been issued.

Demos shatters many of our impressions of 17th-century Puritans - for example, the impression that Puritans were sexually repressed. More interesting, though, is Demos's compelling demonstration of just how difficult life was for early Plymouth colonists. An example: privacy within the home, of the sort that we today take for granted, was not enjoyed by Plymouth's settlers. (The reason for this fact is that the houses of the settlers were quite small, their families quite large, and most of each person's life was spent very close to his or her home.) Also, by today's standards, childbirth was incredibly dangerous: it killed one in five women. Infant mortality high, too, at about one in ten. And the wide choice of occupations that we moderns enjoy was unavailable to the Plymouth's settlers.

This book is well-researched and well-written. To read it is to learn more about life in early colonial North America. But reading it also provides important perspective for evaluating the immense material prosperity that the institutions bequeathed to us by these settlers - most importantly, private property - have made possible. We today are indeed fortunate.

A Little Commonwealth starts with a brief history of the Plymouth Colony, beginning in England through to its end in 1691. The author begins by discussing the physical setting in which the colonists lived. He continues with the structure of the household and follows with a look at development of people during this period, from birth to old age. He finishes with the thought that perhaps the colonial family of Plymouth colony is not so different than our own. As the book opens we learn that the Plymouth colonists were from a Puritan community that had left England because of persecution and resettled in Holland. However, after about ten years they decided to move again, this time to the New World. It took a lot of negotiations and work, but they finally struck a deal with Thomas Weston for transportation aboard the Mayflower to form a new colony. The new colonists arrived shortly before Christmas and found life extremely difficult. By spring nearly half of the c! olonists were dead. It was at this time that they were befriended by Indians, who advised them on the ways of the land. During all of this they were setting up their government, which consisted of freemen, a General Court, and a governor. The church was active at this time also, hiring ministers, conducting services and punishing its wayward members. There was also trouble with the Indians, until they were defeated during King Phillip's War. Then there were the sweeping reforms by the British Crown, ending with the annexation of the Plymouth colony by Massachusetts. In short, colonial life was anything but easy. The colonists lived in simple homes, typically one room, with a large fireplace, perhaps a loft for sleeping and a lean too at the rear of the house for storage. The houses were made of oak timbers that were covered with planks and a thatch roof. There were homes that were larger, but these belonged to the wealthier members of the colony. The furnishings were as s! imple as the home. There were a few cooking utensils, a tab! le for eating and a bed for sleeping. There were also large chests for storing linens, clothing and the like, which also served as tables or seats if the need arose. As their life was simple, so was their clothing. They used wool, linen and leather for their clothes, and like homes, clothes were an indication of social standing in the community. Household members included a husband, wife, children and sometimes a servant. Each had not only personal but shared responsibilities to the household. As the author continues, he tells us that households may have had up to nine children but typically there were only three to five in the house at a time. This is due to the spacing of the births, where an older child may be getting married and leaving the home while another is breast-feeding. The husband and wife were expected to live together, maintain a peaceful relationship and not engage in adultery. The author tells us that children were expected to "honor thy father and m! other" and that upon attainment of the age of sixteen were subject to laws which enforced this principle. Parents for their part were responsible for raising their children in a Christian manner, providing for their basic needs, such as clothing, food, shelter and education, and for teaching them a lawful trade. And sometimes the children were sent to live with another family as a servant, to learn a trade or get an education. We also learn that as children grew and left home, the circle of kin grew ever larger as some sons left the colony for the open lands of the frontiers. The author next addresses the life cycle in the colony, from precarious birth, through the idyllic first year and into the psychological molding of the child by the parents, between the ages of two and six. At the age of six or seven the child began to be treated as a little adult. They were dressed like their parents and the boys began to work with the fathers and the girls with the mothers, le! arning about life and households. As the children progresse! d into adolescence they began the process of courtship, leading to marriage and the starting of their own families. As the children left the home the parents continued to work, for they had little idea of retirement and in later life perhaps the husband went into politics and if he was elected to an office, he would most likely finish out his life in public service. The author concludes with the observation that perhaps family life in the Plymouth colony is not so different from ours today, an adult couple with children, making up the core of the family. Yet the author points out some startling differences. Colonial families were self-sufficient and acted as the school for the children, both educational and vocational. There was the obligation of family worship and there were times when the home was a "house of correction", having idle or criminal persons sentenced to them as servants. John Demos closes by telling us that the story of the family forms a part of! our history, the story of traditions, values and institutions brought by these first settlers to a new land.

(...)David Beale, professor of Church history at Bob Jones University, has taken advantage of recent scholarly studies and his own personal knowledge in putting together an excellent treatment of the Mayflower Separatists and their connections with other seventeenth century British dissenters. After describing their background in the context of the English Reformation, Beale details the fortunes of the Pilgrims from their beginnings in the Lincolnshire area of northern England to their landing at Cape Cod in 1620 and beyond. He references everything with the best sources and fleshes out his account with colorful descriptions of these indomitably brave souls. This is the best single reference volume on the Pilgrims in print. An added bonus for Baptists especially is Chapter Eight, “How the Earliest English Baptists Originated from the Pilgrim Separatists,” in which Beale accurately describes the relationships of both General and Particular Baptists to Separatism. In doing so, he dispels the myth that seventeenth century Baptists were the product of continental Anabaptism. He also advances the position that Henry Jacob, normally considered the founder of English Puritan Congregationalism (the Independents), actually became a Separatist, having more in common with John Robinson, the Pilgrims’ “consistent separatist” pastor, than with either the English Puritans or the more radical “Brownists.”
What makes this volume particularly valuable are the appendices, ten in all, which consist of primary source materials highlighting significant events in Nonconformist history. Several practical selections are included in the appendix section as well, such as an explanation of “double” dates for British events and a self﷓guided tour of Leiden, home of the Pilgrim Separatist congregation for twelve years. And if you are interested in researching your family name, Beale gives you the necessary help to get started.
Several personal trips to England, coupled with extensive technical research, has given Beale the reputation of being one of the world’s leading authorities on the Pilgrims. The quality and detail of his careful research is everywhere evident in this book. The intricacy of explanation in no way encumbers the narrative, however, but enhances an appreciation for the untiring fortitude and faith of this small band of Christians who faced incredible obstacles in helping to establish a strong foundation for American freedoms. Particularly in a day when our liberties are under severe attack by ruthless terrorists, a study of the Pilgrims can renew hope and endurance in the midst of trial and inspire devotion to the Word of God, the book that governed their actions and sustained their faith. The following summation from the Mayflower Pilgrims expresses well the reason why their lives are worthy of emulation: “The Pilgrim story is essentially a story of conviction, born in persecution, developed in exile, and based upon the Bible” (p. 160).
Dr. Beale conducts the Mayflower Tour of England, Wales, and Holland on a regular basis.(...)

Not just dry history but a very enjoyable read by an author who has researched, first hand, his subject.

There are hundreds of books out there about the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving and all that goes with the subject. But the majority of these books are written either in a stodgy, encyclopedic (read: Boring!) format, or they are written for children. Well, now I have one that is actually written for adults, as well as in an easy to read manner. Written mainly from a genealogical stance, the author, Eugene Aubrey Stratton, did his "putting flesh on the bones" research; that is, he sought out how the pilgrims lived their daily lives in all aspects of their time and place. Instead of the cartoonish figures we all see come November, Mr. Stratton actually gives an authentic look to these early Americans. He makes the reader feel that they now know the pilgrims, not only through their historical prominence in our early history, but by name, and we feel their hardships, especially of their first winter here. After the first time reading this book, I re-read it, only this time I read the 'Biographical Sketches' section, located toward the back of the book, first, THEN I went to the beginning. My advice to the first time reader is to do the same. You will then know who you are reading about as names are mentioned.
This book is, simply put, the best of its kind. Maybe more genealogists should write our history books! At least they bring history to life!

In doing research on my own ancestor who was a passanger on the Mayflower and one of the original Pilgrims, I have used over 50 books. This one is by far the best. Very readable, this book provides an excellent narative of many of the events of the first 70 years at Plymouth, and detailed descriptions of many of the Pilgrims. For anyone interested in this era, this book is a must.

One of the best pieces of gay literature out there! A must for everyone's library!

This is an excellent novel, full of humour and tenderness. I highly recommend it. I fell in love with Neddy and the rest of the characters.