The most valuable benefit of this book of several essays is its theme: those on the margins of the British Atlantic world. Covering such groups as the Irish, Scots, Canadians, Indians, slaves and planters of the West Indies, these authors explore peoples typically ignored by standard histories of the British American colonies. (Typically, most studies concentrate on the Puritans, Quakers and planters of the Low Country and the Chesapeake.)

I studied this book in high school as part of my background research into colonialism and "American" life before the revolution. I have always been fond of history and wars so I possess a great deal more motivation to read a book of such immense proportions. The size is intimidating and unfortunately seems to discourage continued research from the layman reader because of the detail into which it ventures, which is the only reason I marked it down one star. On the whole, though, I found it to be an enjoyable experience for use in finding out key facets of history that typically are not focused on. Obviously, as a high schooler and even after I graduated I have not come close to reading all of the almost-700 pages of material. Nonetheless, what I have read offered a great insight into the lives of the time. Historians today dehumanize our heritage into simple fact and fiction, myth and reality while playing out the major occurences of the past. Voyagers to the West instead focuses on people as they struggle through trial and tribulation to acheive a goal that is never deemed to be necessarily "American," but is still something special as anyone who has ever desired something can relate to. This book goes into great detail, possibly too much for the common, semi-interested reader, to explain and convey that history is built around multitudes of "the little people" who forged ahead and established a precedence through their actions that altered perceptions and lives. It tells the true battles of the Revolution. Not battles situated around guns and generals, but rathr around individuals who had to struggle with more prominent enemies, themselves. It is a wonderful and I say necessary element of history to look at. It might be more comforting if the book was a bit smaller as the reader may feel compelled to move on from lengthy passages; otherwise, the book is more than worth it.