#46

Another great novel. Geraldine Brooks' "Caleb's Crossing" was excellent. She took a real character from history and wrote a fictional depiction of his life. Caleb is an American Indian born in the 1640's on what would become Martha's Vineyard. He befriends a young white girl who's father is a local minister and educator. She teaches him English and he teaches her more of his language which she had already somewhat mastered by listening to her father teach her brother. Her education stopped at the age of 9 which was typical at that time. Her thirst for knowledge kept her continually paying attention to what her brother was being taught even though she was to be doing woman's work. Caleb is taken into her home and further educated with the hope that he would be able to attend the prestigous Harvard College. Help from England is being sent to support the Indian's education and a new building has been built in anticipation of the new students. Parts of the story are documented and the rest are the author's fictional account based on what records she could uncover.