Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience

by Melanie Kirkpatrick

We all know the story of Thanksgiving. Or do we? This uniquely American holiday has a rich and little-known history beyond the famous Pilgrim feast of 1621.

Melanie Kirkpatrick journeys through four centuries to craft a vivid portrait of our nation's best-loved tradition in Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience . Drawing on newspaper accounts, official documents, private correspondence, and cookbooks, she illuminates what the holiday has meant to generations of Americans.

Presidents play key parts: Washington proclaimed our first national day of Thanksgiving amid controversy over his constitutional power to do so. Lincoln aimed to heal a fractured nation when he called for all Americans to mark a Thanksgiving Day. FDR sparked a debate on states’ rights by changing the traditional date of the holiday. The story also includes the evolution of Thanksgiving dinner, how football became part of the celebration, and how Native Americans view the holiday.

While the rites and rituals have evolved, the essence of Thanksgiving remains the same: family and friends feasting together in a spirit of hospitality and gratitude. Kirkpatrick's exploration of America’s oldest tradition offers a fascinating look into the meaning of the holiday we celebrate on the fourth Thursday of November.

With Readings for Thanksgiving Day and historic Recipes & Bills of Fare.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Thanksgiving, American History, Holiday, Christmas, Native Americans

304 pages, Hardcover

Published October 11, 2016

Reviews

[Kelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a physically pretty book. The paper is sturdy and nice smelling, it is illustrated throughout and the pictures are nice. It is not a straight forward history, but party history part anecdotal. Very easy to read and interesting. The author has a conservative bent which is not noticeable except on the chapter and treatment throughout of Native Americans. Her tone is a appaulling and enough to give this book 1 star and stay away from it forever. She asserts that those indigenous people who declare Thanksgiving as a day of mourning are extremists trying to ruin it for everyone else and that they should get over it by now. Is 400 years and counting enough to get over the genocide? I would say no but she has another view I guess.

But this book has some merit in that she includes original source material as an appendix. Of course she includes the pilgrim accounts of the first Thanksgiving but not the Wampanoag. Either way it is a pretty book with some merit and much detraction. If you read it critically it can be useful.

[Elle Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

In early October, I found myself and my two cats evacuating with neighbors from Atlantic Beach, FL, to Orlando, to escape hurricane Matthew. On the last Thursday of November, I will sit down with these same neighbors to share a Thanksgiving filled with gratitude: my neighbors and I (and the cats) were spared the hurricane’s wrath. Along with pumpkin pie and a bottle of wine, I’m bringing to the celebration author Melanie Kirkpatrick’s excellent book, Thanksgiving: The Holiday at the Heart of the American Experience. I intend to share with guests passages written by famous Americans taken from one of the book’s several sections, “Readings for Thanksgiving Day.” I’m leaning toward firsthand accounts by William Bradford and Edward Winslow of the Pilgrims’ feast in Plymouth in 1621, but I’m also drawn to author Laura Ingalls Wilder’s description of a childhood lesson learned from the Dakota Territory in the 1870s. There’s no question but that I will share with my neighbors F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “Turkey Cocktail Recipe” (“To one large turkey add one gallon of vermouth and a demijohn of angostura bitters. Shake.”). I may also challenge guests to guess which president tried to change the holiday to an earlier date from the traditional last Thursday in November and how that went over (hint: there was a national uproar). Kirkpatrick’s writing gift and talent for making history come alive have combined to give us a fine account of our nation’s beloved holiday. It is a book I know will engender good conversation, and I am eager to bring it to the celebration.

[Krisette Spangler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a precious book from start to finish. The book covers the history of Thanksgiving, which doesn't sound very interesting, but it was full of fun facts and things I didn't know. She even covers sensitive subjects, such as how Native Americans feel about Thanksgiving. I was surprised to find how common feasts of thanks were, and that the Pilgrims and Wampanoags weren't the first ones to have a shared dinner of thanks in this country. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, but it had some weird political things going on in the background. I think that is the best way to put it. I grabbed it from the "seasonal" shelf at the library, so that I could read it over the Thanksgiving break. Reading Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving. Very apropos. And I learned some interesting stuff. My favorite little tidbit was that it took no time at all, back in colonial days, to go from the invention of Thanksgiving to the first complaint by the elder generation that "Thanksgiving just isn't the same anymore." This holiday used to be about going to church all day! Now everyone just wants to eat a delicious meal and be with their family! This is in like 1685. And remember, they wouldn't even celebrate Christmas because it was too Pope-ish. Oh Puritans, you were such annoying killjoys. I also enjoyed learning about how Sarah Hale used her editorship of this woman's magazine in the mid-19th century to basically codify Thanksgiving as a national holiday. I put that right into my American history lecture. Good stuff.
The weird political thing here is that Kirkpatrick makes very clear right from the start that the harvest feast in 1621 with the Pilgrims and Wampanoag had nothing whatsoever to do with the invention of Thanksgiving. It was not the first Thanksgiving. Nobody involved with it even called it a Thanksgiving. It was a harvest feast. The holiday of Thanksgiving evolved slowly over the course of the 17th century as the various colonies tended to declare a day of thanksgiving sometime in the fall/early winter, which varied year to year and colony to colony. It settled on late November eventually, and by the early 19th century most of the states celebrated, but not necessarily on the same date. The fact that there had been this harvest feast with the Pilgrims was basically forgotten, until some historian found a reference to it in a letter in London, and put a little footnote in there saying *hey! First Thanksgiving!, and then New Englanders were like yes! We knew it. We invented this holiday, and America, and you should think about Pilgrims all the time.
Anyway, Thanksgiving was already fully formed before anyone paid any attention to the Pilgrims. But even though Kirkpatrick makes it very clear that there was no "first" Thanksgiving, she keeps calling the Pilgrims in 1621 the First Thanksgiving. Which is kind of because she also hates that liberal college kids ruin Thanksgiving by complaining about American imperialism. She doesn't want anyone to complain about America on Thanksgiving. So the First Thanksgiving still has to be the first thanksgiving, even though it wasn't.
The whole America is special on Thanksgiving thing also leads to weird claims, like that Canadian Thanksgiving is different, and isn't really special to Canada the way American Thanksgiving is special to America. Even though, as she points out, Canadian thanksgiving has exactly the same origins as American thanksgiving. It's all these colonial thanksgiving days.
Oh, side note - the book gave me good ideas for more food I can make. Marlboro Pie! Used to be a Thanksgiving staple. Not anymore. I'm going to make one.
**UPDATE** Marlboro Pie is very good. It was unjustly dropped from the Thanksgiving canon, and should be revived.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so clearly biased that it was difficult to read. Though it contains interesting historical vignettes, the chapter on Native Americans betrays Kirkpatrick’s solid conservative bias. Her tangents on the failings of American public education and the ridiculousness of feeling white guilt are laughable. The best things about this book are what the author didn’t control: the beautiful paper used and elegant cover design.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this was a Thanksgiving book it did take me much longer to finish it due to the fact that I have been working longer hours and basically using any non-working hours to sleep it out. So although the book wasn't completed by Thanksgiving it still brought a wonderful message as well as a complete history on the topic, which can be enjoyed any time of the year.

The author had acknowledged that her book although starting out historically was going to be a leap-around and even though sometimes the subjects didn't seem to connect chapter-by-chapter it wasn't that much of a stretch thus each chapter was much of a surprise that in the end usually connected with the whole book. Unfortunately, though, due to the large amounts of information found within, the reading was at times dull due to its heaviness thus it was necessary for there to be breaks taken during the reading although since of its wholeness there was a bit of something for everyone.

Otherwise it was interesting to see the change in the holiday, the contributions to it, the fight to make it a national holiday and the changing traditions that were attached. At the back of the book there were inspiring historical accounts or speeches if one would like to add to their own Thanksgiving traditions as well as sharing of heritage recipes and so much more.

Honestly if you want to learn more about Thanksgiving this would be a wonderful book to enjoy, especially with a nice warm drink on a cold and more or less reading it without someone else while extending the reading the whole month. And may the reader be reminded that there is more than great food, misleading modern concepts, athletics, religious thoughts and other add-ons but a wonderful chance to completely embrace the fact that being thankful will never go out-of-style even if the way we practice gratitude may change.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a very interesting look at the history of Thanksgiving. We all grew up knowing the story of the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth and a good deal of it is true and some is myth. There were certainly turkeys served at that dinner but also a good deal of venison and seafood. Depictions of that historic meal are also misleading; the Native Americans did not wear feathers and Pilgrims dressed much more colorfully than the drab grays and browns and their hats did not sport buckles. An essay dealing with the partnership of Thanksgiving and football was quite surprising to me. It has been a tradition since the late 1800's! I am not a fan of football but that is fascinating to me. The date for Thanksgiving has been shuffled around throughout the years: Abraham Lincoln chose the last Thursday of November but FDR opted for the 3rd Thursday causing outrage and vehement protests all over the country. Earlier presidents felt it was not proper for the president to proclaim a particular date; they felt it should be left up to the governors of individual states. I really enjoyed this informative book and this was the perfect time of year to read it.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanksgiving expository

If you want to learn everything there is to know about Thanksgiving, read this book. Did Thanksgiving begin with the Pilgrims? Has turkey always been eaten during that feast? All those questions and many more are answered in this book. Very well done!

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review title: The sacred, the silly, and the serious of the essential American holiday

So let's start at the beginning: the Pilgrims didn't invent thanksgiving as an act of worship, they didn't call themselves Pilgrims with a capital P, the first Thanksgiving as a designated day of thanks might not have happened in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and they might not even have eaten turkey. So much for the details of what we learned in elementary school!

Melanie Kirkpatrick is an American journalist who has lived and worked around the world and has written this book to help herself, and us, understand the history of Thanksgiving and why it is such a beloved holiday in the US--and why it is so distinctly American.

The sacred: The first thanksgiving in 1621 was explicitly called to offer thanks to the God whom the colonists believed had secured their survival through a harsh season of establishing the colony. This was not a vague feeling of goodwill toward a distant deity but a powerful, heartfelt, and verbal prayer and time of worship to the personal God of the colonists--who had come to this distant and foreboding wilderness specifically to be able worship him in the way they chose. It was also thanks offered to the Native Americans who played such an important role in their survival, whom the colonists believed had been sent their way by that God they thanked, and with whom they would have peaceful relations for the next 50 years.

The holiday once established would remain a sacred celebration. George Washington issued the first Presidential proclamation to set aside a day of Thanksgiving to "Almighty God", and in a separate letter invited Jews to celebrate the holiday with thanks to Jehovah. Subsequent Presidential proclamations, which became and continued as annual events beginning with Lincoln during the Civil War, continued the tradition of declaring the holiday a sacred but non-sectarian time of Thanksgiving to the God of choice of all American itizens: Jews, Christians, Muslims, and others.

The silly: many of the traditions that have grown up around Thanksgiving, that we learned in school plays and Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving special, are wrong in silly ways. We aren't sure if turkey was on the table that first day. We do know venison (brought by the Native Americans) and oysters were there, and many "fowls" that had been shot that morning as documented by the two brief surviving references to the celebration by participants, but Kirkpatrick says they were just as likely to have been ducks, geese, or even eagles based on what we know about the everyday eating habits of the time. Even though colonial leader William Bradford referred to his followers as "pilgrims", the capital P was first applied to the colonists in a 1790s sermon--and they didn't wear buckles on their hats, or even black clothes. And recent documentary evidence has surfaced that in any case the first declaration of a day of Thanksgiving on the North American continent may have been in what was to become Texas--or Florida--or Virginia, which has lead to friendly claims for precedence. And I won't spoil it for you, but the tradition of Thanksgiving as a day to watch football games after the feast is much older than you might think!

The serious: recent years have seen the rise of Native American groups protesting against the destruction of their nations and declaring Thanksgiving at best a "Day of Mourning" and at worst a racist celebration of an American holocaust. Kirkpatrick does not shy away from documenting the history of this violence and the modern Native American response of anger and sadness, but neither does she tar the Pilgrims with an anachronistic brush. She reminds readers that those 1621 celebrants were truly thankful for and friendly to the Native Americans who shared their knowledge and their Thanksgiving bounty at the table--and that many of the 21st century Native American activists, while mourning the genocide, also acknowledge and celebrate the holiday in giving thanks for the America that grew from those beginnings.

From those beginnings, Thanksgiving as the quintessentially American holiday:

Only a few countries set aside a day of national thanksgiving. Most of these holidays trace their origins back to a time when life beat to the rhythm of the agricultural cycle. . . . These and other thanksgivings are joyous occasions, but they say little about what it means to be Korean or Chinese, German, Canadian, or Brazilian.

In contrast, the American Thanksgiving is far more than an update of an ancient harvest festival. Thanksgiving has grown up with the country. It reflects our national identity as a grateful, generous, and inclusive people. When a twenty-first-century American takes his place at the Thanksgiving table or volunteers at a local food bank, he is part of a continuum that dates back to 1621, when the Pilgrims and the Indians shared their famous three-day feast.

As this book has recounted, the most direct influence on the development of the holiday was the religious days of thanksgiving marked in all of the American colonies. . . . The story of how Thanksgiving became a national holiday is itself a classic American saga of how one enterprising, hardworking individual with a good idea can have an impact in an open, democratic society. (p. 182-183)

This one person, Sarah Josepha Hale, is rightly given her own chapter at the very center of this book. Read it for her story.

Kirkpatrick has written an eclectic little book. It is well-researched (with endnotes for reference) and evocatively written; it is sacred, silly, and serious. It is history, biography, journalism, politics, pop culture, and cookbook (yes she has some selected recipes for traditional dishes like succotash and Indian pudding) that helps you understand the thankful heart and worshipful soul of the American adventure. If Thanksgiving is "your" holiday, this is your story.

[Anita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice overview of the holiday with readings and recipes, but a couple glaring omissions. In her discussion of the origin of Thanksgiving, the author does not address the fact that the Puritans saw themselves as biblical children of Israel reliving the Exodus and coming to the promised land and thus Thanksgiving was part of their attempt to celebrate the Jewish harvest festival Sukkot (more info for example here: http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holi...). In her discussion of the modern celebrations, I also thought it odd that she didn't discuss the recent rise in "Friendsgiving" feasts. Also, a correction that although American Mormons celebrate Thanksgiving, they have no religious meetings on the day and their American temples are never open on Thanksgiving Thursday (as she said they were on page 95).

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was dryer than the Griswald’s family turkey on Christmas. If you want a very detailed book this is for you. It was so boring it was hard to comprehend and I would have to re-read parts. The chapter “Readings for Thanksgiving Day” was especially boring.

Two parts I did find interesting though…

A university of Texas professor has argued for Thanksgiving to be replaced with a national Day of Atonement and collective fasting to “acknowledge the genocide of indigenous people that is central to the creation of the United States.” Thanksgiving, writes Robert Jensen, is a “white supremacist holiday.” The professor berates as hypocrites his follow liberals who celebrate the holiday, even though they share his view that Thanksgiving is based on a “mythology” that “amounts to a kind of holocaust denial.” He urges readers to boycott Thanksgiving, gatherings, and, when possible, participate in a public event that “resists” Thanksgiving. This radical interpretation of the holiday is not widely shared, but neither is it an unusual point of view in the academy. Pg. 137

Harding’s successor, Calvin Coolidge, received turkeys, quail, ducks, geese, rabbits, and a deer. The Coolidge family were the recipient, too, of the odd gift intended for a First Family’s Thanksgiving dinner. In 1926, a raccoon arrived at the White House from Mississippi along with the senders assurances that the animal had a “toothsome flavor.” The Coolidges declined to eat the raccoon and instead turned it into a pet, which they named Rebecca. Pg. 174-175

[Zibby Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

You might think you know everything there is to know about Thanksgiving. But this book is full of facts, characters, and events that only a historian would know. Melanie's effortless style and love for her subject shine through in this fascinating look at America’s oldest tradition.

I love nonfiction that I can’t put down, and this was one of those books. Who knew that Thanksgiving involved the efforts of three of our most influential presidents? The holiday's history ranges from current-day reactions of Native Americans to the story of the editor and activist Sarah Josepha Hale. She was responsible for putting the celebration officially on the calendar. Along the way are great side stories like the tug of war among the states over exactly which day of the month would go to the holiday. One of the most interesting stories in the book is the efforts of the Governor of South Carolina in 1845 to make Thanksgiving exclusively a Christian holiday. The Jews of Charleston rallied, wrote a letter in response, and eventually, the incoming governor proclaimed the day as a day for everyone to celebrate.

To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at: https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/mel...

[John Hrizuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at how Thanksgiving became a favorite American holiday. The book includes a look at the first Thanksgiving; alternative first Thanksgivings that pre date the one in New England; how it became a national holiday; how people that are non-Christians and diverse ethnicities celebrate Thanksgiving; and how native Americans view Thanksgiving. It also includes articles and letters written by famous Americans about the holiday and recipes for various Thanksgiving dishes along with bills of fare for Thanksgiving meals.

[Christine Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!!! I am sad to say that I had no idea that there was so much controversy over the years concerning our beloved holiday of Thanksgiving. I am very grateful to Melanie Kirkpatrick for all of her research. I learned a lot and I am very happy to add this to my library for future references.
I am also grateful for all of those who have been daring pilgrims throughout the history of our amazing country and often feel guilty for all the comfort I enjoy because of others sacrifices.

[JSL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some simple watercolor art throughout the book but no pictures. I used the Internet to look up paintings mentioned in the book. I enjoyed this book. Some interesting things about Thanksgiving that I never knew: The first Thanksgiving in America is debatable. Several cities in America vie for that honor. The first Thanksgiving probably did not have cranberries and maybe not even turkey.

Reviewed in World magazine, Oct 30 2016 issue.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy read for the days surrounding Thanksgiving.
Facts vs. fiction, truth vs. myth with some first hand accounts and some good and not-so-good guesses as to why certain happenings occur around this Day of Thanksgiving to an Almighty Power.
Football, Black Friday, the difficulty the day had becoming a holiday, and a discussion of the several contenders for the First Thanksgiving among other topics were all addressed.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides a nice overview with details about Thanksgiving origins, traditions and celebrations over the centuries, including suggested readings for the big day, historical newspaper and document quotes from famous people, recipes, etc. As the title indicates, the focus is on Pilgrim and European immigrant traditions and the harvest/giving of thanks side of the holiday. Some interesting myth busters and fun facts in there for Thanksgiving fans!

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to read coming up to the holiday. I've always been a bit of a Thanksgiving Scrooge, but this book helped me to get into the spirit. We learned a lot about the history of the holiday that we had never heard before, not just Pilgrims & Indians or even Lincoln pardoning the Turkey, but about FDR's failed program to change the date, lots of biographical information on Sarah Hale etc. etc.

[Heather Araki · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the history of Thanksgiving. I was turned off when the author’s personal (conservative) views were included in the discussion about indigenous people’s feelings about Thanksgiving. All and all the author seemed to write without bias, but it was disappointing when her opinions came through.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched and well-written account of the history of the holiday. In some places the author could have been more cogent, but overall this was very well done and I want to buy my own copy for my American history collection.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first grown up book I've found on my favorite holiday so of course I had to read it. I particularly enjoyed the parts on Sarah Josepha Hale and the Pilgrims when they first came over. The design on the inside covers of the book are simply adorable!

[Lorena P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book and plan to re-read it every November. A delightful narrative on both the familiar and less known history, aspects, writings, politics, customs, traditions and food of our national and best-loved holiday.

[Read-n-Bloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to show the history of the Thanksgiving holiday we celebrate in the US.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you really what to know the history of Thanksgiving, this is the book for you. Awesome read.

[Diana Petty-stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an interesting book!! Well written with lots of interesting information and historical facts.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting book! Learned a lot input this holiday that bring so many together. And it’s not about Pilgrims & Indians. They are hardly mentioned, it’s so much more. Excellent reading!

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information about Thanksgiving. Very informative, but it dragged on at times for me.

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love seasonal books and this would be a good one to read every November! Next time I want to read more at the beginning of the month! Helps build my gratitude and appreciation for the holiday!

[R P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deducting stars for that awful chapter on the Native American experience. Ugh, your MAGA is showing.

[Charissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable and interesting read! The selection of notable historical writings in the back is a wonderful bonus!