Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell

A cheeky, biting history of Puritan New England, specifically Massachusetts Bay Colony with emphasis on Gov. Winthrop and the outspoken Roger Williams. The author is witty and funny but makes no pretense of her skepticism of religion even as she dives headlong into religious history. Most interesting is the chapter on Anne Hutchins who along with Roger Williams founded the colony of Rhode Island. Anne was probably the first "modern" Christian in America believing everyone's salvation was an individual choice through accepting Christ.