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    Caleb's Crossing: A Novel
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    Caleb's Crossing: A Novel
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    Caleb's Crossing: A Novel
    Audiobook12 hours

    Caleb's Crossing: A Novel

    Written by Geraldine Brooks

    Narrated by Jennifer Ehle

    4/5

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    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    A bestselling tale of passion and belief, magic and adventure from the author of The Secret Chord and of March, winner of the Pulitzer Prize.

    Bethia Mayfield is a restless and curious young woman growing up in Martha's vineyard in the 1660s amid a small band of pioneering English Puritans. At age twelve, she meets Caleb, the young son of a chieftain, and the two forge a secret bond that draws each into the alien world of the other. Bethia's father is a Calvinist minister who seeks to convert the native Wampanoag, and Caleb becomes a prize in the contest between old ways and new, eventually becoming the first Native American graduate of Harvard College. Inspired by a true story and narrated by the irresistible Bethia, Caleb's Crossing brilliantly captures the triumphs and turmoil of two brave, openhearted spirits who risk everything in a search for knowledge at a time of superstition and ignorance.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateMay 3, 2011
    ISBN9781101526217
    Unavailable
    Caleb's Crossing: A Novel
    Author

    Geraldine Brooks

    Geraldine Brooks was born and raised in Australia. After moving to the USA she worked for eleven years on The Wall Street Journal, where she covered crises in the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans. Her first novel, Year of Wonders, was an international bestseller and she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for her second, March. She has written three further bestselling novels, Caleb’s Crossing, People of the Book and The Secret Chord.

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    Reviews for Caleb's Crossing

    4/5

    1,084 ratings113 reviews

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    • 3/5
      I guess you either love Geraldine Brooks' work or you don't. I find it interesting but I don't love it. Like Year Of Wonder and People Of The Book, I followed the story but felt no sense of emotional connection with it. If I had not read the other two I might put this down to the quality of the reading. With so many titles to choose from, I think I will leave Brooks' for her ardent fans in future.
    • 2/5
      I'm slightly confused at the title of this book. It's called Caleb's Crossing but he is barely in the book. Yes, he was at the beginning some and some at the end. But this book was more about Bethia. This book did not interest me and I would have quit early in the book except I have committed myself to read the books I select this year whether they are good or not. I found this one kind of boring.
    • 5/5
      So interesting and well written - Brooks does it again!
    • 4/5
      Geraldine Brooks is one of my favorite authors. Her ability to blend history, descriptive language, and develop characters are second to none in my opinion for current authors. All readers find authors that write in a way that is beautiful and connects on a personal and intellectual level and Brooks is one of the authors for me.This is my third novel by Brooks and while I loved everything I said above, this story was not as strong as the previous two I read. The history and beauty and characters were all done exceptionally well, but the story itself was more of a chronology of events and I never felt that it built toward a climax. We find out what happens with all of the important characters and I have no problems with how the story played out, but if she didn't write so well, I might not have been as interested as I have been with her previous books. Either way, I still recommend it for those who love to read beautiful language.
    • 3/5
      I appreciate that the book was meant to showcase the beginnings of Harvard and the injustice to indigenous people. I also appreciate that the author, as a white woman, did not choose to tell the story from Caleb's perspective, and instead used Bethia's experiences to tell Caleb's story. That being said, this meant I stopped caring about Bethia's storyline once it stopped intersecting with Caleb's, as I was completely invested in his story.
    • 3/5
      As many people have noted, this book is less about Caleb, and more about the narrator Bethia. Caleb was a real person and very little is known about him. Except for a few established facts, most of the story is fiction . Brooks is NOT an indigenous American, so may not have felt the right to narrate from that point of view. Seeing Caleb through the eyes of the female outsider adds a lovely poignancy and mystery to his character. It seemed more respectful to whoever Caleb really was to not tell the story from his perspective.
    • 2/5
      I read this book because it is the "One Book, One San Diego" pick for 2013. "One Book, One San Diego" is a community reading program cosponsored by KPBS, the San Diego City Library, and the San Diego County Library. Geraldine Brooks, the author, will be in and around San Diego during October at several sponsored events to speak about the book -- and, well, I'm a sucker for these types of things.

      The book is interesting and is loosely based on the lives of real Native American Harvard graduates - graduates when the states were really nothing more than individual settlements (what we like to refer to as colonies). The history of the university and of Martha's Vineyard is intriguing. The book, however, is more about the main protagonist, Bethia, than the title character. I wonder if this is because so little is known of the actual Caleb that the author felt the need to protect the person he was and keep what little is known of him intact, refusing to burden him with her characterizations of him since he was (in numerous ways) unable to speak for himself. I will have to ask her. The relationship between Bethia and Caleb is supportive, nurturing, and fulfilling making the book an enjoyable summer read.
    • 2/5
      Fine. It was fine.
    • 4/5
      I have loved all her books, this one included.I love her "loose" historical background and love her style of writing.Each of her books have been a joy for me to read and this one just as much as those I've previously read.
    • 5/5
      Really good historical fiction written around a true story. I always enjoy Geraldine Brooks' work and this one is no exception.
    • 4/5
      I overall liked the writing in this book and learned a lot about Native Americans and English colonists. It was interesting, and Brooks provided characters I cared about.
    • 4/5
      I listened to this book and had a bit of a problem really getting interested in the first third or so of it. The story takes place in the 1600s on an Island off the coast of Boston. As usual for that time period, there's lots of death, and the main protagonist, Bethia, ends up losing everyone in her family, except for her brother, when she is in her late teenage years. She has developed a friendship with Caleb, a Wampanoag Indian, who is being groomed to attend Harvard. When her family dies, she ends up as an indentured servant at a preparatory academy near Harvard which Caleb also attends. The story follows Caleb through his graduation and shortly thereafter, ending with a series of flashbacks when the protagonist is quite elderly. There are some surprises in the book, and the latter part moves along pretty well. It is certainly a worthwhile read.
    • 4/5
      Diverting story, but a little overwrought and YA-ish. I liked the fact that it was so concerned with local history and my museum was even mentioned in the afterword.
    • 3/5
      Bethia, daughter of Puritan minister, and Caleb, son of powerful Wampanoag chieftain, forge a secret friendship over a desire to learn about the mysteries of the other's world while growing up in 17th century Martha's Vineyard. A passionate but somewhat disjointed story of two brave friends willing to risk it all for a chance at knowledge and the freedom to choose. A fictional story inspired by the life of the first Native American graduate of Harvard.
    • 3/5
      A plot that leads where you might not expect. The theme of noble savage and perfidious white man is a little shop worn, but this tale rises above it.
    • 5/5
      A favorite, beautiful writing, loved character Bethia and the story was beautiful. Bethia was intelligent, humble, loyal and so brave. The story stayed in line to the reality of the historical time. She wanted to learn and found a believable way around the lack of formal education for women.
    • 3/5
      I felt always at arm's length from this book, which should have been a poignant and emotionally strong story. The historical information is fascinating-- the early days of what is now Martha's Vineyard, the relationship between the English and the Wampanoag, the early history of Cambridge and Harvard. But I felt little connection to the main characters, and felt some of the foundation of the story was rushed, though the later parts of the novel were wonderful.
    • 5/5
      What an amazing work of historical fiction! Brooks takes the slenderest of details from the earliest days of American settlement on Martha's Vineyard, the Massachusetts Bay colony, and even the early days of Harvard College and builds a compelling story of Bethia,a young Puritan girl and her unlikely friendship with a Native boy, "Cheeshahteaumauk", or Caleb (her re-naming). The narrative is told in Bethia's voice, as she snatches time and leftover precious paper to set down the details of her beloved island's bounty, her family, the local tribes, and the unfolding fates of their lives in the mid-17th century "New World". It didn't take much to adjust one's reading "ear" to the authentic diction and cadences of a Puritan missionary's daughter, gaining literacy and learning as she can while fulfilling her duties as daughter and sister. Brooks' beautiful turns of phrase helps us see and hear the stunning scenery and rhythms of Native American and colonial life, set on the "edge" of the great wilderness. Through her recounting, we are quickly caught up by Bethia's longing for learning, her steady love and devotion to her family, but also her brave willingness in spite of her English colonial upbringing to explore the world of the Wampanoag people. The sincerity of her father's faith and zeal to convert the "heathen" to Christianity is offered in context to the times, and through Bethia's quiet but determined questioning and searching, we are given a character to experience the Puritans' rigorous, practices without rejecting them outright. Rich in period detail and an array of fascinating characters, this would be an excellent historical fiction choice for a mature teen or adult reader who wants a window on a much, much earlier American East coast - one where childbirth, accident or disease could easily halve your family's number, a world where white colonials and Native bands sought a fragile, yet practical co-existence. Fascinating. 311 pages - long, but worth it. There's even a Penguin Reader's Guide available online.
    • 5/5
      This is the third book I've read by Geraldine Brooks, who never disappoints. She brings sensitivity to matters spiritual and sacred, while adopting a convincing period voice. In Caleb's Crossing that voice is a remarkable Puritan girl whose friendship with a Wompanoag boy lasts and enriches across a lifetime. I live in Natick, Massachusetts founded by John Eliot and his praying Indians. Accordingly, I possess both a deep interest and background in much of which Brooks writes. For the most part, the book's plot, its characters and description of 17c colonial life feels authentic and true. I was sorry to reach the end and put this world behind. Can't wait for Brooks next one!
    • 4/5
      Brooks does indeed make history and place come alive. I found this story thought provoking and engrossing. I have grown up believing that the "English" were evil, bent on eradicating the Natives and taking all their land, as well as their traditions and culture, only for their own profit. This story reminds me that there likely were some Europeans who sincerely believed that it was their Christian duty to convert the Natives, for their own good, and who wanted to live harmoniously with them. It's hard to see any future for the people in this story besides the one that actually happened, but it does give the reader a glimpse of the hope of a different outcome that some people may have held.My one criticism of the book is that the last quarter of it felt rushed. Bethia spends a great deal of time recounting the details of her childhood and teen years, and then BOOM we are at the end of her life and she gives a brief summary of a few events to bring things to a close. Of course, the events themselves were sudden and final, and I know from the afterword that they are based on a true chronology, but it feels as if they are just crammed in to finish up the book. Without giving spoilers, it's hard to express how incomplete the story also feels; as a reader, I felt at the end that the characters, in spite of their efforts, really had not made much of a difference with their lives. I had a sort of, "What was it all for?" gloomy feeling. Maybe that was the author's purpose...Anyway, the book was beautifully written and evoked a time and place long gone, with believable and empathetic characters. My favorite of Brooks's books so far has been Year of Wonder, and I do not think this is as good as that, but even when she is not at the top of her game, Brooks is wonderfully entertaining and informative. I'd certainly recommend this book, especially if you have enjoyed other of this author's works.
    • 3/5
      The first Native American to graduate from Harvard University.This was the fourth book I'd read by Geraldine Brooks, whose novel, The Year of Wonders is one of my all-time favourites. Unfortunately Caleb's Crossing didn't quite grab me in the same way, possibly because the historical character didn't feature centrally in the narrative. In addition, being historical fiction, the ending was decreed by history and my reaction was 'Oh no, after all that!', but of course, that was not a failing on Ms Brooks' part.The main character was Bethia, who first meets Caleb as a child, wandering the countryside near her home. They share a love for their country and meet in secret, for their liaison, though innocent, would be disapproved of. Later she works at the university, attempting to glean what learning she can, while working behind the scenes.It is the story of the desperate search for learning, for Bethia, as a Christian woman in the seventeenth century, and for Caleb, as a downtrodden 'native' in his newly-white country. It also narrates the early days of the college that was to become the noble institution of Harvard University.Very little is known about Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck, the first Wampanoag to attend university and get an education, despite of all the prejudices against him. He graduted in 1665.This was an interesting read and I learned a fair bit from it, but it was rather slow moving and required some effort to keep going.I listened to the unabridged 12 hours and 9 minutes audio version, narrated by Jennifer Ehle, perhaps some editing would have helped keep my attention. Also read by Geraldine Brooks:The Year of Wonders: 5 starsPeople of the Book: 3 starsNine Parts of Desire (non-fiction): 5 stars
    • 3/5
      This book focuses on a young, restless Pilgrim girl and the Native American boy she befriends. Based on a true story, the book recounts how the friend, Caleb, came to be the first Native American to attend Harvard College (in the 1600s). Entertaining throughout.
    • 5/5
      "In 1665, a young man from Martha's Vineyard became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College.The narrator of Caleb's Crossing is Bethia Mayfield, growing up in the tiny settlement of Great Harbor amid a small band of pioneers and Puritans. Restless and curious, she yearns after an education that is closed to her by her sex. As often as she can, she slips away to explore the island's glistening beaches and observe its native Wampanoag inhabitants. At twelve, she encounters the young son of a chieftain whom she names Caleb and the two forge a tentative secret friendship that draws each into the alien world of the other. "-------Thought provoking, intricately developed.............a great piece of historical fiction(in my opinion)Reading of Geraldine Booke's research (including participating in an archeological dig for the Indian college at Harvard) and her careful depiction of the time period,I valued the story even more.
    • 4/5
      All I knew about this book (or all that I could remember since putting it on my to-read list) was that it was historical fiction and supposed to be good. It was good; good writing and an engaging tale. I am surprised actually how engaging it was for all that it was a life story - and if you haven't been paying attention, I tend not to invest in life-stories unless the character is exceptional. The setting did it for me. I appreciate any form of learning and while I worried at times that the book would get too preachy, it never crossed over the line. And I am fascinated by all things Native American. There were a few times I wondered where the book was going but when I read the book I did not know it was based on a true story. I struggled with the fact that woman had absolutely no rights int he 1600s, which was very clear in this book. But it historically correct so I can't blame the author. And Bethia wasn't just any woman. Overall, a nice read.
    • 4/5


      Those Puritans were a scary lot. Great book, Brooks prose nicely bridges the gap between then and now, and her descriptive powers translate to the visual.
    • 5/5
      I have enjoyed every book by Geraldine Brooks and this one did not disappoint me. Brooks lives on Martha's Vineyard and has selected the island as the setting for her latest book. The timeframe though is the 1600s and is the story of Caleb, the first native American to graduate from Harvard. Through the eyes of Bethia Mayfield, a young intelligent girl, we follow Caleb's life as he leaves his Native Wampanoags to join the Mayfield family to study English and convert to Christianity. Caleb, excelling at his studies, leaves the island and joins the first small group of Native Americans at Harvard. The education is funded by Puritan churches who have taken on the mission of converting the native 'heathens'. Bethia, although intelligent and also an excellent student, is not given the same opportunities as Caleb, since the education of girls was unacceptable.

      I loved this book, partly because of the way that Brooks' can immediately transport her readers to another time, but I also found the story compelling and hard to put down. I listened to this book right after a family vacation to the Vineyard adding more to an already beautiful book. Highly recommended!
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this, although I found the ending disappointing. Not because there was so much sadness, but because it was told so dispassionately compared to the rest of the book. And the religious oppression was very sad--that Bethia believed she was likely damned.
    • 3/5
      This engaging novel set in 17th Massachusetts, primarily Martha's Vineyard and Cambridge, is the recollections of a Puritan woman Bethia Mayfield regarding the life of a Wampanoag she befriends as a child who takes the name Caleb. The language of the narrative carries the flavor of language of a colonial American woman although at times a modern, feminist view appears in the narrative. The novel is full of heartbreak and loss, but still there's a great amount of nobility in Caleb as he adapts to English and Christian ways. The culture and religion of the English and native are frequently compared with the later given a grudging respect. Both the woman and the Wampanoag are subservient in this society and this historical fiction is a great attempt at telling their hidden stories.
    • 4/5
      Beautifully written and thoroughly researched novel based on the story of the first Native American to graduate Harvard in the 1660s. Told through the eyes of Bethia, a minister's daughter, the novel shows two strong-minded individuals struggling against the roles forced upon them by 17th-century society.
    • 4/5
      The setting is New England in the mid 17 Century. The main characters are Puritans and native Americans. The book is written from the viewpoint of Bethia Mayfield, a young Puritan girl who lives on what is now known as Martha's Vineyard. It is written in journal format. Bethia begins to keep a journal when she is about 13, and she continues with it through most of her life. In it she describes what her life was like as she grew up and what she endured into young adulhood. Life was hard for English settlers in America. Everyone had to work very hard trying to eke out a living on some pretty unforgiving terrain. The book illustrates a crossing of cultures as Bethia describes her childhood friend Caleb's entry into the English world and his efforts as he works and studies to gain entrance into Harvard College. He does, in fact, manage to make the crossing into the English culture, but it comes at a great cost to him. He must leave what is familiar to him and try to adept to a totally foreign way of life. Ms. Brooks is an excellent historical novelist. She uses the language and nuances right from the era that she is writing from. I'm glad that I took the time to read this book.