The American Puritans: Their Prose and Poetry

This carefully curated anthology brings together essential writings from the American Puritans, the first settlers of New England whose influence on American culture and identity endures to this day. Spanning roughly the first century of colonial life, these selections offer a fascinating glimpse into the minds and hearts of a people whose faith, struggles, and literary legacy helped shape the American tradition. From the homogeneous communities and sparse soil of colonial New England, the Puritans emerged as a peculiar and highly articulate people whose traits and qualities have persisted even as their original creed has faded. Through their prose and poetry, readers will discover the roots of the American mind and gain a deeper understanding of the nation's foundations.

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Perry Miller (1905-1963) was an American intellectual historian and professor at Harvard University, renowned for his seminal works on Puritanism and its impact on American thought and culture. His books, including The New England Mind and Errand into the Wilderness, helped to revive scholarly interest in the Puritans and established him as a leading authority on colonial American history and literature.