Francis Parkman & the Northeast

I never liked history much in high school. It wasn't until I was about 20 that I started gaining an appreciation for it. In my community college American history class in 2004, the French & Indian War was briefly glossed over. When I later found out how important Upstate NY was as a battleground for this War, I was intrigued. At Barnes & Noble one day, I browsed through the history section looking for a good book on the Conflict. I stumbled across Francis Parkman's Montcalm & Wolfe and decided to purchase it and read it.

It was a great read. Parkman, who lived & wrote in the mid-19th Century, was an incredible writer. This review on Amazon says it all (and better than I ever could): Parkman was indeed a "titan of history writing." "His [Homeric] tales...assume a mythological status, and the main protagonists...are larger than life." The final showdown between the French & English over control of the North American Continent "assumes the same proportions as Hector and Achilles..." Well said Matherson.

When I found out that 'Montcalm & Wolfe' was only the last book in a series Parkman wrote covering the greater conflict between France & Britain for North America, I purchased the entire series (available in 2 well put-together volumes) and read it voraciously. In the 3 months before our son Aidan was born, I was totally immersed in the series. It was without a doubt the best literary experience of my life. I get goosebumps thinking about it (yeah, I know; I'm a nerd). Parkman's thorough and detailed history and beautiful writing kind of remind me of JRR Tolkien's works.

Another similarity with Tolkien is the importance of geography to the work. (For me, I can't read Lord of the Rings or The Silmarillion without a detailed map on hand. History and geography are intertwined and must go together). Because Parkman's books don't have detailed maps of many of the places he mentions, I've always had to make my own maps to truly grasp this history. The absence of maps in Parkman's books actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It's been a great experience pouring over maps, researching where these forts, missions, and settlements were. (Below is a custom map I'm making noting where important geographical and historical places in Parkman's work are).

Reading Parkman has only made me fall more in love with the Northeast. I love being surrounded by all this history. It's nothing I'll ever be able to sufficiently explain to people, but it's a spiritual thing for me; I have a connection to this area. In the back of my mind, I fantasize about living in the Albany/Saratoga region of NY, where we'd be smack dab in the middle of all this stuff. (Plus Albany is half way between my hometown of Rochester and Portland, Maine - where my parents live).

Since we moved back to NY from AZ two years ago, I've been trying to visit many of these places of historical significance. It's been surreal going to places like Pemaquid, Lake George, & Quebec City. This summer, we're gonna try to do a few road trips around NY state visiting cool sites. It'll be neat meeting my parents later this month in Ticonderoga for their annual Grand Encampment. Sarah & I have been talking about making a trip to Nova Scotia after I graduate in 2010.

So I owe a big debt to Francis Parkman. Someday after I graduate, I would love to somehow spread that passion for history in whatever it is I do, whether teaching, or working in a library or historic site. If I had the balls, luck, & oppurtunity, I think it'd be neat to work on/publish some sort of visual companion to Parkman's work, noting where all the places he mentions are, what those places are like today, along with historical notes, pertinent archaeological info, and what the best places to visit are. To those that love history, Parkman's work is a must-read. His work has endured a century and a half and it's just as readable today. For those who don't usually like history but love great literature, give it a shot. I plan on rereading his stuff every year.