"A vivid account . . . Swanson re-creates Deerfield’s harsh environment, powerfully evoking the trepidation of the Puritan colonizers who were isolated from 'civilization' by a sinister wooded wilderness.” —Wall Street Journal

"A gripping and harrowing tale from America’s forgotten past . . . a terrifying retelling . . . the product of meticulous and well-documented research. . . . Swanson rectifies prior histories that focus on the attacked colonists in this frontier battle. Here, the proud natives occupy an important role, as fully fledged political and social actors, making alliances, waging war and peace, and pursuing the self-determination of their own communities. . . . Swanson’s approach rescues history from the dryly academic, conveying the animating roots of the American experience, both native and colonist." —The Coolidge Review

“With his gifts of great storytelling and penetrating insight, James Swanson has given us a compelling account of an unjustly forgotten episode in American history. This is an immersive and memorable book.” —Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle

“It is easy to forget that America’s eastern frontiers were once just as savage as the more celebrated lands of the west. Call it the Wild East—the subject of James L. Swanson’s engaging new book The Deerfield Massacre. From a single horrific event Swanson builds an epic, violent portrait of a world most of us have forgotten.” —S. C. Gwynne, author of Empire of the Summer Moon

"A briskly told history of death, resilience, and recovery in the American past.” —Kirkus Reviews

"Acclaimed historian James Swanson's splendid The Deerfield Massacre plunges readers into the cauldron of faith, fear, and ferocity that was life in colonial New England. In this galloping work of narrative history, Swanson resurrects the long-forgotten massacre: the fate of the white captives as they fight to survive; and the plight of Native Americans as they struggle to preserve their ancestral lands. Swanson gives both sides their rightful place at the forefront of early American history." —Peter Cozzens, author of the award-winning The Earth Is Weeping: The Epic Story of the Indian Wars for the American West

“[A] meticulous account of the eponymous 18th–century massacre . . . Swanson’s narrative pivots ingeniously from the event itself . . . to trace the massacre’s afterlife . . . The result is a rewarding close look at the process of history-making.” —Publishers Weekly

“An epic thriller from one of America’s most terrifying chapters—when the tomahawk and scalping knife ruled the New England wilderness. James Swanson’s brilliant, action-packed story evokes a mysterious and dangerous land haunted by legends of supernatural witches, as well as the real threat of bloody Indian raids. By the end of The Deerfield Massacre, readers will think they hear the sounds of tomahawks chopping through their front door.” —Brad Meltzer, bestselling author of The Lincoln Conspiracy and The Nazi Conspiracy

"A wonderful read! James Swanson’s eloquent and gripping account of Deerfield’s bloody past transports readers across space and time, while critically assessing the town’s multiple efforts to grapple with its history. He explores the persistence of colonial memories, and welcomes the inclusion of often-ignored Native American voices and perspectives. From a midnight vigil in a haunting colonial graveyard, a visit to the tomahawk-splintered Indian House door, or a stroll along an icy moonlit river on a cold February night, Swanson evokes disparate and unexpectedly poetic connections. He invites readers to walk with him into, through, and beyond this complicated past." —Margaret M. Bruchac, Professor Emerita of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania and author of Savage Kin: Indigenous Informants and American Anthropologists

“In this magnificent book, James Swanson brilliantly uncovers the long-forgotten Deerfield Massacre. His vibrant prose transports readers back to 1704, a distant and forgotten America, a period even the Founders would not recognize. In the dead of night a barbaric attack engulfs a remote outpost on the Massachusetts frontier. At gunpoint, survivors of the slaughter are forced to march through a forbidding, frozen wilderness into captivity. Swanson’s thriller-like narrative is an epic tale of survival that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Highest recommendation!” —Patrick K. O’Donnell, bestselling author of The Indispensables and Washington’s Immortals

“A great book! James Swanson hits the trifecta that all popular American historians seek: a gripping and important chapter in the story of our nation; rich and fascinating research; and a propulsive, vividly cinematic sweep that transfixes readers with the physical courage, terrible suffering, and profound hope of those fighting for their lives in early America. Swanson turns the bloodbath into a key flashpoint in early New England and tells an unforgettable story of endurance and survival for the ages, restoring Rev. John Williams to our pantheon of heroes. This is first-rate American history.” —Douglas Brinkley, professor of history at Rice University and author of Silent Spring Revolution: John F. Kennedy, Rachel Carson, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and the Great Environmental Awakening