Mr. Penrose
The Journal of Penrose, Seaman

William Williams (Author), Sarah Wadsworth (Afterword by)

9780253010476

Paperback / softback, published 9 November 2013

416 pages, 3 b&w illus., 2 maps
21 x 14 x 1.5 cm, 0.499 kg

"The novel itself is a fascinating and detailed account of how Penrose, an English castaway in the Americas, survives—and finally flourishes in a multiethnic society. Dickason's editorial intrusions are sparse but judicious: they provide necessary explanations, and they allow readers to immerse themselves in the story. . . . Recommended."—Choice
"Sarah Wadsworth expertly positions Williams's novel to contribute to current transnational and postnational scholarship. In this timely edition, she demonstrates that including Mr. Penrose in the conversation about the earliest American novels helps to reveal the rich, complicated nature of their history."—Cristine Levenduski, Associate Professor of English, Emory University
"This new paperback edition of Williams's novel makes a significant contribution to early American literary and cultural studies. It is well suited to contribute to new scholarly trends, which are moving solidly in the direction of transatlantic study, colonialism, ecocriticism, and indigenous people studies."—Paul Gutjahr, Professor of English, Indiana University

Long neglected as the first American novel, Mr. Penrose narrates the adventures of a British youth who flees an unhappy home life to seek his fortune on the high seas. Having learned the sailor's trade, Penrose survives a series of nautical mishaps, only to be cast adrift on the Mosquito Coast. When rescue finally comes, Penrose refuses to abandon the new home he has made among the Indians. Equal parts travel narrative, adventure tale, and natural history, the novel reflects on some of the most pressing moral and social issues of its time: imperialism, racial equality, religious freedom, and the nature of ethical, responsible government. Mr. Penrose contains the first unequivocal critique of slavery in a transatlantic novel and the most realistic portrayals of Native Americans in early American fiction. In the afterword to this paperback edition, Sarah Wadsworth imparts new research on the author and his career, shedding light on the novel's subjects and timely themes, and situating Mr. Penrose at the forefront of the American literary canon.