WELCOME
As we begin the 250th year since the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the proclamation of the birth of a new nation, I am embarking on a journey to discover the history of my country, both the good, the bad, and the ugly. With the help of history teachers and colleagues, I have assembled a list of novels and books spanning our country’s history, from colonial times to recent history, to uncover the story of our nation. Uncovering the stories of people and ideas that helped establish, expand, and prosper this budding country, and the people who suffered from the expansion, my book list will hopefully tell me multiple and diverse sides of our history.
I invite you to join me in my reading venture. I begin in 1646, in the town of Charleston in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with The First Witch of Boston by Andrea Catalano. I was drawn to this novel when I discovered that the author’s inspiration for telling Margaret Jones’ story came from actual diary entries and court records.
Margaret, a talented midwife and healer, learned these skills from her grandmother back in England as a young child. Community members in Charleston, near and far, seek her out for her medical expertise. Being outspoken and not afraid to give her unsolicited advice, Margaret often offends the large number of Puritan citizens.
Joan's Reading Adventures 