Our Beloved Kin: A New History of King Philip's War

Our Beloved Kin reconstructs the history of King Philip's War (1675-1678) through Native American perspectives, focusing on the stories of two key indigenous figures: Weetamoo, a female Wampanoag leader, and James Printer, a Nipmuc scholar. Brooks draws on archival documents, indigenous oral histories, and geographic analysis to present these overlooked narratives of colonial New England. The book maps the complex web of relationships between Native communities and European settlers in 17th century New England, examining land disputes, political alliances, and cultural exchanges. Through detailed research of Native spaces and places, Brooks traces the movements of indigenous people across their ancestral territories during this period of increasing tension and conflict. The narrative crosses between different Native communities - Wampanoag, Nipmuc, Mohawk, and others - revealing the sophisticated diplomatic and kinship networks that existed before and during the war. Brooks reconstructs these indigenous geographies through both colonial records and Native knowledge systems. By centering indigenous perspectives and knowledge, Our Beloved Kin challenges traditional colonial narratives and demonstrates how Native peoples maintained their sovereignty and connections to land despite violence and displacement. The work presents war not as a singular event but as part of ongoing indigenous resistance and survival.

Readers commend Brooks' research depth and incorporation of Native American perspectives. Many note how the book reframes familiar historical events through Indigenous geography and kinship networks. Several reviewers mention learning new information about Native women's roles during the war. Readers appreciate: - Maps and illustrations that help track complex movements - Focus on individual stories rather than just military conflicts - Clear explanations of Indigenous place names and relationships Common criticisms: - Dense academic writing style - Frequent timeline jumps that can be hard to follow - Some found the geographic details excessive Ratings: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (147 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (58 ratings) Sample review: "Brooks pieces together fragmentary evidence to reconstruct Indigenous perspectives, though the academic tone may deter casual readers." - Goodreads reviewer Multiple readers noted the book works better as a reference text than a cover-to-cover read due to its scholarly approach.

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🔷 Lisa Brooks, a professor at Amherst College, is herself of Abenaki descent, bringing a unique indigenous perspective to her historical research and writing. 🔷 The book challenges traditional colonial narratives by reconstructing the story through Native American geography, including indigenous place names and territorial relationships. 🔷 King Philip's War (1675-1676) resulted in the highest per capita casualty rate of any war in American history, with approximately 30% of New England's English population killed or wounded. 🔷 The author used a combination of colonial documents, indigenous oral histories, and detailed analysis of the natural landscape to create interactive maps that trace the movements of key historical figures. 🔷 The book won the Bancroft Prize in 2019, one of the most prestigious awards in American historical writing, for its groundbreaking approach to telling Native American history.