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Worth learning history of Protestants first

Revisado: 03-19-25

Pulled some insights from this, but I feel I would’ve gotten much more if I had a baseline understanding of Calvinist, Methodist, Pietist etc doctrine. As it was, I wasn’t starting with the familiarity required to get Weber’s points. That was my fault, but to my own critique, Weber wasn’t aiming for a popular read and didn’t seem to do much stage setting before getting into the thick of implications of Protestant ethics (that I was unfamiliar with).

Still overall an interesting listen that has spurred my to look further into puritan doctrine and it’s implications for America and the world. I plan on revisiting.

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Interesting niche

Revisado: 03-15-25

This book provides an interesting inversion to frontier experience: to Amerindians, the imported European-style city was the frontier. The book provides interesting anecdotes and stories of important characters from this transitional time. Characters like Little Turtle, Corn Planter, and Teedyuscung. The Amerindian response to cities was as variable as Europeans responses to frontier living. Certain Indians were averse to the city, while others seemed excited by and open to the novel form of social organization than might be expected from anti-colonialist scholarship implying a uniform and unidirectional exploitation, appropriation, subjugation and humiliation. The Amerindians appeared alive and vital in this telling of their confrontation with the city despite the threat of disease and colonial violence, choosing to bravely face these numerous and strange Europeans in their settlements. For a time, you are able to forget the seeming “inevitable” demise of these people as viewed from the present and live as if the relationship between settlers and Indians could still be figured out if only more meetings and treaties could be hashed out. As an American, I feel a great loss that the early settlers could not figure out a way to have settlements without perpetually lying to and encroaching upon these first “settlers” of North America. What kind of country might we have now if the North American tribes were not so disfigured?

👍 Good book. Would’ve liked more quotes from Indian perspective, but writing down impressions was just not something many of them did back then. Reader also a little slow, listened at 1.2x but it was fine. Overall recommend to those interested in early America or Amerindian history.

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Enjoyable introduction to early Euro-American Life

Revisado: 02-08-25

First book on this topic and very much enjoyed how it was rooted around major characters in this history. A lot of good info on Powhatan, Pocahontas, John Smith, English MPs Smythe and Sands, King James and Prince Henry. Highly recommend this if you’re interested in early America.

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A good brief work on the broad sweep of European and Indian relationships in eastern North America

Revisado: 02-01-25

A good read on some interesting aspects of developing relations between Anglos and amerindians. I’m not sure if the title of the book perfectly fits the content however, as much of it is comprised of European historical context. Granted the sources are more scant on the Indian side of history in these periods, but I was still hoping for more direct access to how these people thought about this time period when the Europeans arrived. The title lead me to believe I might hear more directly from them. That said, I did find the provided examples interesting and the epilogues conclusions are thought provoking and have left me sadly considering what May have been. I would recommend the book for people interested in reading multiple books on Amerindian history/colonial America with a focus on the east coast.

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Eye opening read for American

Revisado: 01-28-25

Highly recommend for Americans looking to get better rooted with their position in this country. After a dozen books on the progression of Spain into America, this is my first tribe specific book moving into amerindian history. Though perhaps slightly dated to contemporary audiences sensitive to “savage” and “barbarian”, this book felt both authoritative and sensitive to the various peoples involved in this history. I was unaware of how long and grotesquely brutal the fight was between the Num (Comanche) and western peoples or how such an ancient people (mountain Shoshone) could be so inherently transformed by new world animals (horses) into this new “Comanche” plains culture. This book went a long way into showing how what we now understand as static and inevitable history was at their contemporary time fluid and contestable. Contrary to the image of perpetually victimized and marginalized American tribes we have today, this book shows how formidable, terrifying and unbeatable these amerindians were to Spanish, Mexicans and Americans for centuries. The story becomes much more a clash of cultures than of an inevitable domination of a weaker people by some superior culture. It resurrects Agency (both redeeming and damning) for a group of unique people that has subsequently been catalogued as vanquished people with little choice in how history proceeded. These were ferocious fighters and proud people who could not exist inside the vision European settlers had for the future of this land, and so eventually demanded the complete extermination of buffalo and removal of all Indians to reservations.

It also provides essential context for understanding how América continued to progress into the present. An exemplary quote that I felt offered a very useful puzzle piece for understanding race relations of the last century can be found in part 4, chapter 1: “Unlike the Spanish, the British-Americans were not accustomed to accepted hierarchies and legal caste or class distinctions, and this democracy actually worked ferociously against inferior peoples and cultures. Under Spanish law an Indio or negro could be enslaved while still retaining his essential humanity and certain rights before society. A people who insisted on equal, inalienable rights for all citizens, however could only subordinate non-citizens by making them into animals. Negro slaves were chattels, like livestock, under Anglo-American law. The Indians became, in effect, trespassing vermin on American soil. By the early nineteenth century, such policies had hardened into accepted law.” This type of insight can be found throughout this book for a range of topics.

Highly recommend. There is much more to say, but you will find it yourself in the book. Solid voice work also 👍

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Great sweep of history from Spain to America

Revisado: 12-31-24

I like how the chapters were organized around major figures of the time. Also appreciated the contextual buildup from the catholic kings to show where Spain was when their project to America began. Thought the last chapters deep dive on Sevilla felt misplaced, but it’s a great city so I was happy to learn more. Came away with a greater understanding of the transitional time between Ferdinand and Charles V. Overall it’s now probably one of my favorites on Spanish history.

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Sweep of Romanitas

Revisado: 06-08-24

Expected a biography but was given a compelling sweep of Alaric’s Rome. Most enjoyable and unnerving was the similarities between 4th and early 5th century Rome and 21st century American politics. Fear of the immigrant, harsh border policies, scapegoatism, and unchecked religiosity appear to be perennial to humanity. Even in the descendants of Goths and other once hated barbarians.

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Grand

Revisado: 07-26-23

Compelling and compulsive. As a jeweler, this felt like critical history for my trade. A story and legacy to aspire towards. Highly recommend.

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