Description
A rich panorama of deeply faithful and daring English colonists. – KIrkus Reviews
Historians, scholars, and genealogists are going to love this book. The narrative style of writing is engaging and the level of detail throughout is exceptional. Great job! Jeff Evans, Professional Indexer.
Bill Cole has put together an amazing piece of work. His passion for family history is obvious and it rubs off onto the reader… Fritz Juengling Ph.D., AG®, AGLTM
I was drawn into the story. Puritans, Plagues, and Promises, clearly a labor of love, is solidly built on Bill Cole’s meticulous, published research into the English Cole, Collier, and Clarke families, but it offers so much more. Deborah Ann McClellan, Ph.D. – Retired faculty, Johns Hopkins University
Bill Cole grabs his readers and leads them on a journey through time and English history. Patricia M. Donohoe, former Vice President, Eastham Historical Society.
Telling an ancestor’s story breathes life into the names, dates, and places representing a real person. Bill’s book masterfully shows how this is done. Michael Cole, retired Brigadier General, U.S.A.F. Glendale, Arizona, USA.
Thanks to Bill Cole’s years of research and diligent hard work, the answer for my paternal Cole line is finally included in his book… This book is a real treasure to me! Deborah Lynn Cole, Redmond, Washington, USA.
Bill’s excellent articles in the Mayflower Descendant (Volumes 69 and 71) had introduced me to details of the Yates, Clarke, Arnold, Collier, and Cole families. But those detailed research articles were just an appetizer to the meal which is this book. Ronald E. Benson Jr., Ph.D., genealogical researcher and author.
I REALLY enjoyed the book! … I will be proud to keep this book with my research and to pass it down to my descendants so they will appreciate the sacrifices their ancestors made for them. Thanks for such in-depth research and documentation that we can trust. Judy Cole Jansen, Sequim, Washington, USA.
This is a rich and highly entertaining walk through a period of history that most of us only vaguely remember from old history books… Well done! Don Bowes, author Senior Camino, Sacramento, California, USA.
It is a must read for anyone interested in the 16th and 17th centuries in England and the events that lead up to the Pilgrims’ departure in 1620. James S. Cole, Indiana University, USA.
I found it compelling, informative, and frankly, quite a lot of fun to read! Your attention to detail in establishing historical context is quite unlike any other book I’ve read, and I am impressed by the care and clarity of your presentation … Congratulations on your superb accomplishment! Roger Cole, President, Factor500, Inc. Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
In his rigorously researched new book (Puritans, Plagues, and Promises), the author reveals new historic facts that tied off many loose ends that stymied others. A well-organized and scholarly work, it is nonetheless easily understandable, offering a fascinating “read”. It will certainly be of great value to anyone interested in the period of the Puritan Migration and early American history. Cole has made a valuable contribution to the field of genealogical study by expanding what is known of three notable families and conditions endured by early New England settlers. David Charles Cole, author, The Cole Family in America (2007). Austin, Texas, USA.
The enchantment came through Bill’s “creative non-fiction narrative” storytelling creating a sense of wonder of these real-life people who were only names and dates before. Cole breathed life into their flesh and blood, filling them with all the emotions of faith, love, birth, life, and deep sorrows of death every step of the way… I came away from Puritans, Plagues and Promises with insights into the forces that I believe rescued western civilization. Highly recommended. Carl Shirley, Member of Inklings Cloister, Epiclesis Church: An Ancient-Future Faith Community, Sacramento, California, USA.
I found it to be a gripping read. You have achieved a style that I did not think was possible. My overwhelming reaction is what a privilege and honour it is to be associated with your project and indeed the final product. Nicola Waddington, Professional Archivist, Archives Alive, Canterbury, England – Nicola has been the author’s research partner since 2015. Without her valuable expertise, many of the findings would not have been possible.
