Philbrick's account of the journey and the early days of America was fascinating to me for several reasons. The trip itself as well as the initial period on American soil was incredibly harsh and I was amazed by the conditions and how these people persevered. The detailed history of the area where I grew up and the ancestral names of people I knew personally was, to me, quite remarkable. I would recommend this book to all history buffs and particularly to those from the southern New England area.