From Distant Shores

de Kuypers #1

by Bruce Nicolaysen

WHEN BROADWAY WAS AN INDIAN PATH AND WALL STREET MARKED THE EDGE OF CIVILIZATION
This novel follows the adventures of one family, the de Kuypers, who came from distant shores to settle in a breathtaking forest eden: Pieter, explorer, builder, whaler, who knew from his first adventure - lost then rescued by friendly natives - that his destiny lay on the island; Christina, brave because she had to be, forced to bear arms as well as children, and determined to carve a place for herself in the fight for survival; and Jacob Adam, the bastard son, who ushered in a ruthless new breed of empire builders on the long island.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

457 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Misfit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young cabin boy Pieter de Kuyper takes one look at the *new world* and dreams of the day he'll return and build a life there. That dream becomes a reality when he arrives with new bride Christiana (who is not exactly suited to this way of life). Pieter is industrious and raises to the challenges he faces in this new land (you will probably learn more about whaling than you ever cared to know), and the reader learns the history of New Amsterdam as the small village slowly changes and shows signs of the financial powerhouse it will one day be. And then there are the natives, who slowly realize their land and their way of life will one day no longer be their own,

"This was their land, not because they had bought it, not because they owned a piece of paper with their name on it, not because a king who lived far away granted them a charter...This was his land and had been his as far back as the memory of man extended. He could not undertand why it would not be his land forever."

I enjoyed this a lot, even though I found it a bit dry in some places and like another reviewer was slightly put off when the author stepped back with the *one day this place will be called ---* bits. That said, I loved all the little factoids he did slip in as we see how places like the Bronx, Harlem, Wall Street, etc. originally got their names. This is the first book in a series that covers the de Kuyper family and New York's history and this one covers the years 1613 - 1667, ending with the Dutch government out and the English now in charge and a new generation of de Kuypers, rich in land and hungry for more. While there are two happy marriages in this book, I would consider this a straight historical novel, this does not really have any romantic elements. If you are a history geek like I am and interested in New York history I'd definitely put it on your list.

[Ethan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The idea of a fictional story set in the very beginning of New York intrigues me. So, I bought the book. It is a pretty quick read. The plots are not very complex. This book basically follows the life of one man as he is one of the first to settle New Amsterdam. The author interlaces historical events very well and deals with the outcomes of such events in a pretty believable way. Like I said, the character arcs are somewhat lacking, but I imagine that is because the author didn't want to embellish on history or make it not realistic. So, if you are interested in having a little "color" added to the black and white pages of early U.S. colonial history, this is a good read. I ordered the next book in the series, too.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the colonization of New Amsterdam in the 1600's by the Dutch which became New York, renamed so by the English. The story of one family and their lives in the New World. Interesting, sad at times. My heart goes out to the natives.

[Lu · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this back in the 80’s….