Lendol Calder

A Little Book for New Historians

“More than a how-to for beginning history students, this book is a tonic for our times. When many on the left and right clamor for history instructors to teach 'what really happened,' McKenzie lays bare the prideful arrogance behind such a desire and reminds us what a mature historical consciousness can provide—a discerning eye for the situation in which one has to act. Brimming with valuable insights culled from decades of classroom instruction by a master teacher, reading this book is both an intellectual pleasure and a practicum for spiritual formation. One can hope that the author's awe and humility before the task of making sense of the past will rub off on everyone who takes up this book.”

The First Thanksgiving

History & Biography

“What makes The First Thanksgiving such a refreshing read is that McKenzie gives fewer pages to debunking folk tales about the Pilgrims and Thanksgiving than he does to inspiring desire for a kind of historical inquiry that enriches humanwisdom through moral and spiritual reflection. Warm-hearted, intelligent and wonderfully surprising, this book will be read and appreciated by students and scholars alike, and especially by history lovers interested in what history is and what it is good for.”