| Planning a trip is sometimes half the fun - and a great | | | | the author researched this history of the city's earliest |
| way to plan is to read books about the place you're | | | | days by reading a lot of original journals, letters, legal |
| visiting. If you're planning to travel to Boston, you'll find | | | | documents, newspapers, and similar materials written |
| plenty of fascinating books about Boston with | | | | by people who were eye witnesses to the events |
| information about the early Puritan settlers, history | | | | that he describes. His motivation for writing this book? |
| leading up to the American Revolution and beyond, | | | | He realized that a lot of the city's older buildings and |
| Boston's neighborhoods, attractions, and finally practical | | | | landmarks - things that dated back to the days of the |
| advice. Here are recommendations for 3 books about | | | | early Puritans and Colonists were rapidly being lost or |
| different aspects of Boston's history that will enhance | | | | destroyed. And of course, now they have been. |
| your visit: | | | | Because he uses original source materials, the |
| 1. "Walking Tours of Boston's Made Land," by Nancy S. | | | | accounts that you'll read here are a lot more accurate |
| Seasholes, describes how Boston was made - literally. | | | | than the short snappy summaries of Boston history |
| When the first group English Puritan colonists arrived in | | | | that you'll read in guidebooks. This is one of the best |
| 1630, the land mass that finally became Boston was | | | | books about Boston in the early days. If you walk |
| much, much smaller than it is today. Look at the book's | | | | along Boston's Freedom Trail when you visit, this book |
| many maps and you'll be amazed by how much land | | | | will make it come alive for you. |
| has been created by filling up nearby bodies of water. | | | | 3. "Historic Taverns of Boston," by Gavin R. Nathan, is |
| As you read this fascinating book, you'll learn a lot | | | | an e-book that is available on-line. The first Puritans to |
| about Boston history - as well as how the city grew. | | | | arrive in Boston brought 10,000 gallons of beer with |
| Best of all, the author takes you on a walking tour of | | | | them on their ship, the Arbella, because they didn't think |
| many different city neighborhoods and historic sites as | | | | that water was safe to drink. When you see the |
| she describes how land was added. Bring the book | | | | number of pubs and beers in Boston today, you may |
| with you when you visit, and you can follow the | | | | think that not much has changed. This fascinating book |
| walking tours to see all these sites first-hand. | | | | traces almost 400 years of history through Boston's |
| 2. "Old Landmarks and Historic Personages of Boston," | | | | taverns, some of which you can still visit today. Want |
| by Samuel Adams Drake was published in 1873, so | | | | to know more about the Colonial experience? The |
| you'll need to get this book through your local library's | | | | author even provides recipes. |
| interlibrary loan service. It's worth the effort, because | | | | |