Description: Written in an engaging and student-friendly style, American Odysseys examines the entire period between 1492 and 1763, covering important topics that shaped the colonial experience across time and in a variety of places. Authors Timothy J. Shannon and David Gellman use a thematic approach, focusing on colonial development and integration within a wider Atlantic world. Each chapter begins with the story of an individual who experienced the wonder and terror of colonization firsthand, so that students can feel a human connection to each of these topics and themes. Taken together, these figures--Indians, servants, slaves, explorers, planters--embody the full array of peoples and cultures that gave the colonial era a trans-Atlantic, multicultural character.
Review Quotes: "The authors have synthesized a vast amount of material, including the newest scholarship concerning colonists, Native Americans, and enslaved Africans in colonial America. The writing is clear and lively."--Matt Mulcahy, Loyola University Maryland
"American Odysseys is clearly written and the thematic approach gives the book a coherence that others often lack. It tackles complex problems in interesting ways--witchcraft and gender are two that come to mind."--Thomas Humphrey, Cleveland State University