Consul General Gregory Slayton and his wife Marina officially released their new book yesterday recounting the historic relationship between the United States and Bermuda over 400 years.

Entitled 'Four Centuries of Friendship: US-Bermuda Relations 1609-2009', the hardcover book is the brainchild of Mrs. Slayton.

It is the product of two years of collaboration between the Slaytons, Edward Harris of the Bermuda Maritime Museum, Rosemary Jones and Paul Shapiro of Brimstone Media, and ten of Bermuda's finest historians writing in their various areas of expertise, said a press release from the US Consulate.

According to the Library of Congress, the book is the first complete historical summary of US-Bermuda relations ever published. The book opens with an overview of US-Bermuda relations through the years.

Jennifer Hind writes in chapter two of the early Virginia-Bermuda links, followed by Rosemary Jones' chapters three and four that look at Bermuda's involvement in the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the American Civil War.

In chapter five, Duncan McDowall describes America's love affair with the Isles of Rest, while Jonathan Land Evans reviews American artists in Bermuda's paradise.

Chapter seven, written by Dr. Harris, looks in depth at America's wartime partnership with Bermuda and the UK during WWII, while chapter eight by Don Grearson explores the US-Bermuda alliance during the Cold War.

Roger Crombie's chapter nine investigates how Bermuda became America's primary reinsurer of choice, and then in chapter ten Ralph Richardson writes about the ups and downs of the US/Bermuda relationship over the past 20 years. US Consul General Slayton wraps it up with chapter 11 on the future of the US-Bermuda partnership.

Mr. Slayton said: "The primary goals of this work are three-fold: to honour Bermuda's 400th anniversary; to highlight the importance of the US-Bermuda partnership over that period; and to lay out the fundamental drivers of the partnership for those who will be responsible for it going forward."

Quoting President Harry Truman's view that "he who does not understand history is bound to repeat it," Mr. and Mrs. Slayton hope the book will contribute to a better understanding of the long history between our countries helping our and future generations to avoid the mistakes of the past and capitalise on the positive lessons our forefathers have left us.

Mrs. Slayton said: "We want to honour all those who have made the US-Bermuda partnership so strong over the past 400 years and, of course, honour Bermuda's 400th anniversary at the same time.

"It has been a great privilege to work with so many outstanding professionals on this book and the tremendous reception the book has gotten so far has really been the icing on the cake.

"So again, thank you to all those who made this book possible and who continue every day to strengthen the ties that bind the US and Bermuda together."

Four Centuries of Friendship was made possible by leadership gifts from the HSBC Bank of Bermuda, the Bank of Bermuda Foundation and the Slayton Family Foundation, as well as the generous support of Bermuda's leading companies including: Allied World Assurance Company, ACE Group, Argo Group, Bacardi Limited, Butterfield Bank, Chubb Atlantic Indemnity Ltd;

Fidelity International, Investors Guarantee Fund, Ironshore Insurance Ltd, Montpelier Re, Renaissance Re, Validus Re, Westbury (Bermuda) Ltd and XL Group,

One hundred percent of all proceeds go to the Bermuda Maritime Museum.

To order the book go to www.fourcenturiesoffriendship.com.