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Introduction

• Horace Gregory introduces William Carlos Williams' collection of essays.

• Gregory warns the reader against the trap that history can be and against regarding history as truth.

• Gregory admires Williams' approach to history for its freshness and for its appreciation of how our history shapes the American national identity.

• Gregory admires Williams' prose for its lyricism and beauty.

Red Eric

• Eric the Red was exiled from Iceland for killing a man who killed his slaves.

• As Eric was leaving Iceland, Thorgest tried to steal from him, but Eric took his property back, and in the ensuing chase, two of Thorgest's sons were killed.

• Eric makes a new start in Greenland.

• Eric's son, Lief Erickson, sails to Norway, a journey of 1000 miles, and back.

• Lief brought back news that Olaf had issued an edict against Eric.

• When Eric grew old, his daughter Freydis went with the other Greenlanders to...

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