This is almost more of a pamphlet than a book (6x9" @ 50pgs). However, its a good read, and a good examination of the rumors and state of knowledge about the lost colony of Roanoke. One of the great takeaways for me is how the state of literacy, map-making, and placenames have fed into the loss and subsequent legend of the colony. One of the more interesting aspects to it all is the role that the colony likely played in terms of the politics and conflicts within the existing native communities. I have usually heard the tale cast as one of colonists vs natives. This book certainly raises the likelihood that it was much more complicated than that.

(2014 Review #6)

So, I thought this book was going to provide more insight into what may have become of the Lost Colonists. Really, it is just a history of the founding of the colony, John White leaving, some hard speculation of what may have become (and by some, I mean one chapter), John White's return and lack of real search for his colonists (including his own daughter and grandchild), and then speculation on what became of the Chesapeake Bay colony (which, while made up of members of the original Roanoke group, didn't really seem to fit the point of this book).

There was much of the history that I was completely unaware of, knowing only the glossy version taught in school. For example, John Smith, who was originally sent to search for surviving colonists (never knew that), was corrupt and was apparently told directly by Powhatan that he had killed surviving colonists living with an Indian tribe he also slaughtered to help cement his rule. Smith never revealed this information so he could be part of Powhatan's inner circle and gain Pocahontas' hand.

Definitely worth reading if you are interested in the history of North America and early British colonialism, but not what I hoped it would be.

Read through it twice because it gave me ideas for a story and I wanted to verify a few things. ( )