Forgotten fourteenth American colony subject of highly praised new book that corrects historical record

The thirteen American colonies are part of our national mythos, a piece of patriotic lore inextricable from our very identity. A new book from historian Mike Bunn, by the name of Fourteenth Colony, offers compelling reasons to change our thinking. Fourteenth Colony covers the colonial period during which the British occupied the area along the Gulf Coast, from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, known as West Florida. This colorful account offers a fresh but comprehensive reappraisal of the history, describing life in the frontier colony, the political and military realignments that allowed the British to assume control, and offering perspective on why the colony is hardly ever discussed in the context of our country’s foundational history.

Praise for Fourteenth Colony has been strong and comes both from academics and historians writing about the founding of our country to publishing industry journals, such as Kirkus and Booklist, book reviewers, and others. Here’s a sampler of what is being said about Mike Bunn’s new history:

• The Journal of the American Revolution: “Engaging and well written. A smart, well-researched book.”
• Publishers Weekly: “An accessible and well-researched account. Bunn combines deep scholarship with vivid storytelling in this comprehensive record of the period.”
• Samuel C. Hyde Jr., Leon Ford Endowed Chair, professor of history, Southeastern Louisiana University: “At last we have an easy-to-read book that corrects the long-embraced notion of thirteen American colonies rising in revolution against Britain… Impressively researched and well written.”
• Kirkus Reviews: “An illuminating exploration of a chapter of American history most readers haven’t previously encountered.”
• Library Journal: “An excellent, well-researched introduction to a long-forgotten British colony of America’s Revolutionary era.”
• John S. Sledge, author of The Mobile River and The Gulf of Mexico: A Maritime History: “A readable and well-researched history of British West Florida has long been overdue. Now, finally, we have one thanks to Mike Bunn.”
• William C. Davis, author of The Rogue Republic: “Combining groundbreaking research with mature judgments and crisp narrative, Fourteenth Colony will surely be the definitive work on one colony that somehow escaped becoming another stripe on Old Glory.”
• The Mississippi Clarion-Ledger: “A history which Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi inhabitants ought to know… Fourteenth Colony is riveting history, warranting multiple readings to commit to memory insights into the colonial history of the Southeast.”

The author himself has joined in on the conversation as well. Q&As, interviews, and presentations with Mike Bunn include:

• WAMC Radio for Bob Barrett’s The Best of Our Knowledge
• Mobile Bay Magazine
• Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Bunn continues to research and speak about the history told in Fourteenth Colony, and we expect to continue to share more news with you on this blog and our social media platforms. For more information, visit www.newsouthbooks.com/fourteenthcolony