Champlain's Dream is a great book about the founding of New France, up to early-to-mid 1600s. It tells the story of Samuel de Champlain, coming from a background experiencing the religious conflicts of 16th c. France, hoping to build a more peaceful alternative in the New World, and his efforts in building settlements there and establishing alliances with various native peoples. z
At some point I'd like to read the books of the series France and England in North America by the popular 19th c. historian Francis Parkman; whatever flaws it may have I expect it will make for engaging reading and give a good general overview. And I intend to read the Ordeal of the Longhouse, for a more Iroqouis-centered perspective of this period.
Thanks for the recs, I'll check them out. Is
Champlain's Dream particularly dry? I like biographies but found that a lot of them ended being either bone dry to read or overtly masturbatory.