The New World was full of unusual occurrences and strange trials for the early colonists of New England. Devastating plagues, violent conflicts with Native Americans, and freak weather ravaged whole communities. When settlers saw an array of colors dancing through the night sky, they thought the Northern Lights were a sign that their end was near. Violators of public drunkenness were forced to wear large, red embroidered “D’s” around their necks for a year under the strict laws of the colonies. Through the letters, diaries, and journals of influential figures of the time, historian Robert A. Geake uncovers the oddities and wonders that amazed New England’s pioneers.