Caleb's Crossing
Viking 2011
“Once again, Geraldine Brooks takes a remarkable shard of history and brings it to vivid life. In 1665, a young man from Martha’s Vineyard became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. Upon this slender factual scaffold, Brooks has created a luminous tale of love and faith, magic and adventure.
The narrator of Caleb’s Crossing is Bethia Mayfield, growing up in the tiny settlement of Great Harbor amid a small band of pioneers and Puritans. Restless and curious, she yearns after an education that is closed to her by her sex. As often as she can, she slips away to explore the island’s glistening beaches and observe its native Wampanoag inhabitants. At twelve, she encounters Caleb, the young son of a chieftain, and the two forge a tentative, secret friendship that draws each into the alien world of the other. Bethia’s minister father tries to convert the Wampanoag, awakening the wrath of the island’s strongest pawaaw, against whose ritual magic he must test his own beliefs.
One of his projects becomes the education of Caleb, and a year later, Caleb is in Cambridge, studying Latin and Greek among the colonial elite. Bethia, also in Cambridge at the behest of her imperious elder brother, finds herself enmeshed in Caleb’s fate as he crosses between cultures." from author's website
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A goodreads reviewer said this should have been called "Bethia's Crossing" because it dealt with a young girl's crossing the boundaries set for girls at that time - so true.
This is the fourth book by Geraldine Brooks that I've read (People of the Book, Year of Wonders, and March). I've enjoyed all of them with Caleb's Crossing being my favorite.
Caleb's Crossing held my interest for a number of reasons. Our grandson is doing graduate work at Harvard right now. It was interesting to read about the beginnings of the university. Our ancestors were in what became New England during this period of time. On the Holton side - About 1630 the Holtons and Ames arrived in what became Massachusetts. From the Floyd side (Mom's great grandmother was Jane Judd) - The Judd family was in Connecticut during the same time period.
As I read, I thought about our family, especially the women, and their lives in this place and time. Caleb and Bethia had discussions about their different cultures and religions - their worldviews were very different. To me these were thought provoking. With our cultures and our religions, do we "give up" anything? Do we gain something?
Geraldine Brooks and Kate Morton, another of my favorite authors, are both Australians.
This is the fourth book by Geraldine Brooks that I've read (People of the Book, Year of Wonders, and March). I've enjoyed all of them with Caleb's Crossing being my favorite.
Caleb's Crossing held my interest for a number of reasons. Our grandson is doing graduate work at Harvard right now. It was interesting to read about the beginnings of the university. Our ancestors were in what became New England during this period of time. On the Holton side - About 1630 the Holtons and Ames arrived in what became Massachusetts. From the Floyd side (Mom's great grandmother was Jane Judd) - The Judd family was in Connecticut during the same time period.
The "crossings" in the book are many and involve culture, religion, gender, and more. Caleb and Bethia have discussions about their different cultures and religions. To me these were thought provoking. With our cultures and our religions, do we "give up" anything? Do we gain something?
As I read, I thought about our family, especially the women, and their lives in this place and time. Caleb and Bethia had discussions about their different cultures and religions - their worldviews were very different. To me these were thought provoking. With our cultures and our religions, do we "give up" anything? Do we gain something?
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Most of the reviews are very positive. This Native American wasn't as pleased.
Geraldine Brooks and Kate Morton, another of my favorite authors, are both Australians.
image from goodreads.com
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