For many years, boys and girls have read This Country of Ours and its stories of the Americans. Now for a new generation of curious and wondering readers, something more is provided with this version.

This is the story of people brought together not because they are of the same race or ethnicity or background or even with a common journey here, but because they share belief in a core of ideas. Some of those ideas had to be forged in a fire before they were available to all, but they were American ideas still, and they were worthy of the struggle and worthy of the fight, to provide and protect that freedom for every American.

This Country of Ours: The Story of the United States, Volume 1 is the history of America from the time of the Vikings’ exploration in the year 1000 up until the 1630s in New England. Donna-Jean A. Breckenridge has annotated, expanded, and updated H. E. Marshall’s beloved history book for today’s audience. Accurate tribal names, sources of quotes, pronunciation guides, and added and updated information tether this story to the historical record while maintaining the literary excellence of the original.

This audiobook is expertly read by Joe Scalora, with audio engineering by Allie McSwain. It was produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.