Roanoke: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony

Arrived on time as described

The book came well within the needed time. I ordered it for a friend who especially wanted it. This was a quite satisfactory process. These long,involved reviews are not.

Lee Miller's ROANOKE: THE MYSTERY OF THE LOST COLONY is a wonderful pick for either leisure readers or libraries strong in early American history for grades 2-4. Every clue about the circumstances of this real 'lost colony' is furnished by primary documents that invite the reader to turn detective to solve the mysteries. The answers to this age-old question are all spelled out by the clues and in conclusions, and kids will find the approach and facts intriguing.

Having read a number of histories on the Lost Colony, I find Miller's argument of what happened to the group to be the most plausible. I enjoyed the style and pace of the book as well. It was the first book on Roanoke that I've read in some time that had something new to say about one of America's favorite mysteries. I highly recommend it. For your kids that are interested in the Lost Colony, there is a young adult novel called, simply, "Roanoke" by Levitan. For lovers of fiction, "Roanoke" by Angela Elwell Hunt is excellent. Could be fun for family discussions or background for a vacation to the area.

Just a brief note: In addition to being the last word in the Roanoke Colony debate this book gives the best BRIEF account of the powerful courtiers around Elizabeth that I've seen. I've read this material in many different forms and this analysis of figures such as Walsingham, Leicester, Drake, Ralieigh and the rest are CLEAR and incisive. A good book for understanding Elizabethan court politics without getting into trivial detail.

When i first noticed 'Roanoke, Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony' on the shelves in the NC local history section of the bookstore I said to myself, "Oh no, another glorification of how white people invaded our land." But I gave the book the benefit of the doubt and thumbed through it. Intially the author didn't ring a bell with me as skimmed the chapters headings, reading words i wasn't expecting: Sabotage, Murder, Conspiracy, Political Turmoil, Motive, and finally Mandoag. These words are not usually used when discussing the hallowed ground of the Lost Colony. It was the last word I mentioned, Mandoag, which really caught my attention. Only a VERY few people in the general public know this word. Ms.Miller's use of this word spoke volumes to me because I am a Native American and i know the importance of this reference. With this one word she had seduced my attention. Then i turned to the table of contents and read through the chapters and subheadings. Upon completing this I knew I needed to read this book. Then I read the inside cover review, and the authors bio. And I nodded my head as the data struck a cord in my memory banks. I knew Ms.Miller works and I knew what was in store for me: the truth.And that is exactly what Ms.Miller has revealed to her readers: the truth. Not only am I a NC resident, I am an Art educator and a Tuscarora---one of the Native American nations still residing in NC, and one of the tribes discussed by Ms.Miller. Such being the case I have an inside connection unavailable to worldwide readers. Which means most of you.Ms. Miller has done her homework, like few writers could. She has meticulously researched the records, foreign and domestic, European and Native, and she has put the pieces of the Roanoke puzzle together correctly. Which has probably never been done before. The picture that this completed puzzle presents is both shocking and awe inspiring. Shocking because Ms.Miller has almost singlehandedly destroyed the cherished myth that historians and chroniclers over the last 400 years have force fed us. Awe inspiring because she writes with authority---because she is an authority!---and because she has utilized her creative expertise to create a spell binding work of history that reads like a bestselling fiction.Step by step Ms. Miller chronicles the sequence of events that created the Lost Colony myth. She fills in gaps and presents factual information that has never been revealed to the general public, especially not in the history books used in the classrooms in NC. This alone should provoke a standing 5 minute ovation. The fact that she does this with a writing style that some readers find disconcerting--even my mother who is a former high school English teacher couldn't resist critiquing Ms. Miller's writing style---only lends credence to the wonder of this book. Ms.Miller is a literary artist of the highest degree and she reveals her talents by dramatically revealing the lost truth of Roanoke. The weft and