Jack Dwyer reveals for the first time the intriguing link between a rural English county and the founders of seven US states, four Canadian provinces, a society doyen, an ambassador of the United States, a US Presidential candidate fundraiser and a Christchurch schoolma'am. This absorbing and beautifully written book traces the North American connection with Dorset characters such as Sir Walter Raleigh and the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Equally fascinating are the stories of a Bridport bank clerk who eventually became the head of securities for a Canadian bank, and the Lyme Regis naval hero Admiral Somers who, on his way to rescue Sir Walter Raleigh's Virginian colonialists, discovered Bermuda. The final chapter is dedicated to the Dorset lass who reached the height of US politics, and of whom Bill Clinton said, 'I am here in the office of President of the United States in no small measure because she was there'. For all those interested in Dorset and the history of the Americas, this book is a 'must have'.