John Winthrop

Review #1 (Charles Cohen, University of Washington)

To update Puritan Dilemma, this biography should take note of major trends in the field over the past half century: the parallel paths of Puritanism in England and America (a major focus of Bremer’s effort); the Atlantic world paradigm, which sees American developments in transoceanic perspective; ethnohistorical investigations that make Indians far more central to colonial stories; and social and gender history, which have created new perspectives on Puritan family structure and patriarchalism. The proposal seems unaware of these developments.

Review #2 (John Saillant, Western Michigan University)

I find it very appealing for potential classroom use. The only omission I see is that the author never indicates any intention of discussing the causes of social discord...It’s a good balance of standard topics ("Modell of Christian Charity") and newer perspectives (genocidal impulses aimed at Native Americans). I do recommend this manuscript for publication in book form. There is no short modern [text] on Winthrop for classroom use. The attention paid to the Pequots makes it all the more useful.

Reviewer #3 (Denver Brunsman, George Washington University)

The book appears to be a solid, if not exciting, overview of Winthrop’s career and the early history of New England. ..The Contents include a useful balance of topics, including two areas of recent interest: the English origins of the Puritans and their interactions with Native Americans. The document selection is also thoughtful. ..I would not characterize this proposal as particularly original. But, in fairness, that is not the author’s aim. It proposes a fairly standard treatment of Winthrop and the founding of New England. On the plus side, as mentioned above, the chapters on England and Native Americans reflect current concerns and interests in the field

"Michael Parker has written a fast-paced, accessible, and informative introduction to the life and thought of John Winthrop. Professors should rush to share this biography with their students."
– John Fea, author of Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? A Historical Introduction

"John Winthrop was one of the most important figures in Puritan New England. In this succinct yet thorough study, Michael Parker argues that Winthrop manifested both an incipient sense of American exceptionalism and a cultural intolerance that would live on in various ways in American history. This is a welcome investigation of Winthrop’s life and thought, well suited for college students and all interested in American religious history."
– Bradley J. Longfield, author of The Presbyterian Controversy: Fundamentalists, Modernists, and Moderates

"Vividly detailed, elegant, and accessible—Michael Parker’s John Winthrop is a wonderful biographical introduction to this underappreciated American founder. Parker documents the successes and failures of a puritan leader who was simultaneously conservative and revolutionary, while highlighting Winthrop’s enduring legacy in a nation still aspiring to be that ‘city on a hill.’"
– James Calvin Davis, author of The Moral Theology of Roger Williams