As Good as Dead: The Penelope Stout Story

by Paula E. Phillips

Penelope Thomson is a young woman from the seventeenth century who is forced by her father into marriage with a young baron. The young couple travels from Holland to the New World almost immediately after their wedding. Penelope is shipwrecked, attacked by Indians, made a widow, left for dead, and compelled to make her own way in America in one of the most unique stories ever told. She meets Richard Stout, who is almost twice her age, and he becomes more than just her rescuer. They, along with other new settlers, are forced to battle a corrupt government and hostile enemies, all the while trying to hold on to what they have built.

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 9, 2006

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about my 9th great grandmother that came to the New World in 1642 from Holland. I have read many different stories on the Internet about Penelope Stout. I feel this author tried to write as near the true facts as possible. I enjoyed reading this book very much.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I actually read another book about Penelope Stout but it wasn't recognized by Good Reads. I think it was a vanity press printed book. It was by Michael A. Stout (related??) and a little too religious for me. A sort of simplistic telling of her life. Didn't inspire me to read about her further although it was interesting that she was so recognized in early New Jersey since my father was born and raised in New Jersey and I've spent significant time there.

[Carol Hennon]

She is one of my 11th great grandmother, through Captain Benjamin Merrill.

[Paul Stout · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give the story 5 stars and the writing 1 star (negative 1 if it were possible!) This is the true story of Penelope Van Princis (the daughter of Baron Van Princis), the "Heroine of New Jersey," who in c.1640 was shipwrecked off Sandy Hook New Jersey with her husband. They were attacked by renegade Indians and left to die on the beach. Penelope survived the attack, but, partially scalped and bleeding from an abdominal wound, she was rescued by friendly Indians and eventually recovered from her injuries, after living among them for several months and learning their language. After her return to the European settlements, Penelope married an English-born colonist, Richard Stout, with whom she had a large family. In time the Stouts came to settle in Middletown, NJ. She is credited for saving the entire settlement from an attack, for she had maintained friendly relations with many of her Lenni-Lenape Indian "family," who alerted of of dangers. Penelope lived to the ripe old age of 110 and lived to see more than 500 of her posterity.
The story is tremendously important to me, as Richard and Penelope are my 9th-generation great-grandparents.
However, the writing is so terrible that I hesitate to recommend anyone reading it without a strong warning. There are grammar errors, misspellings and gross anachronisms throughout the book. Too bad the author didn't allow anyone to edit her work.

[Gloria Baran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent. It reads well. It is written well.