Nathaniel Philbrick (In the Heart of the Sea) has become a significant maritime historian, and has taken as his next subject nothing less than the voyage of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims' landing at Plymouth Rock--a thrice-told tale, but one he feels he can bring to new life by his research. Viking's Wendy Wolf bought the untitled project from agent Stuart Krichevsky, for North American rights only, but publication is four years away; the author is still working on his next book.