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The Shipwreck That Saved Jamestown: The Sea Venture Castaways And The Fate Of America (2008)

by Lorri Glover(Favorite Author)

3.66 of 5 Votes: 5

ISBN

0805086544 (ISBN13: 9780805086546)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Henry Holt and Co.

review 1: Not the easiest to read because they use source material and the English language has changed so much - but, that is one of the interesting aspects of this book. While reading this, I was able to be less self-centered, as my problems seemed really trivial. For those that like books about American history like 1776, Founding Brothers, etc - you will find this really fascinating. For those that like stories about vampire teenagers torn by the difficult decision of who they should sleep with next, probably won't love this book.
review 2: This was an interesting history of the first years of the Jamestown settlement which and probably most people know little about other than the Pocahontas and John Smith story. The Shipwreck mentioned in the title was an attempt b... morey the Virginia company to save the initial settlement. Four of the five ships made it, but came in such condition that they were actually a burden to the colony. The food had been destroyed in a storm. Also, since the ship with instructions on who was to run the Virginia colony were lost so there was a dispute as to who was to run the colony. Relations with the Powhatans were horrible and the Powhatans were doing all they could to ruin Jamestown. (At the time this story took place it seems like it would have been an easy task.) Desperate settlers who left their compound to look for food or barter with the natives would often be murdered and subjected to horrible punishments. Times got so desperate that the colonists had to resort to cannibalism. They dug up relatively fresh graves and consumed the contents.The fifth ship, holding the leader of the rescue mission appeared to be lost. It did survive a horrific storm by everyone bailing out water constantly for four days and lucking upon Bermuda, then know as the Isle of Devils. Nobody had actually landed on it before, because it was surrounded by coral reefs and it got its name for the ships that had been wrecked upon the reefs. The sailors thought they had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire, but they were able to thread thru the reefs and land on the island. The island turned out to be their little bit of heaven. It had been untouched by humans, so the animals were not afraid of them and the settlers could walk right up to them and clobber them. There was bounteous fish, birds, and turtles on the island along with some feral pigs. For many of the men stranded on Bermuda this would be the best place they had ever lived. Stuck in grinding poverty back in England where they just had a bit of bread, meat and beer each day, on Bermuda they were able to pound away at all the exotic wildlife as well as a number of native fruit to the island. Most did not want to leave Bermuda and go to Virgina where death came knocking quite frequently and after a very short stay. But the Virginia company had some good company men their and they persuaded everyone to work on rebuilding the ship and after nine months or so set off for Virginia. A few men were left behind and Bermuda would become a colony of the UK. It could be the only country with a shipwreck on the flag.So, out of the blue came the Sea Venture-the long lost lead ship. But, this was not enough for the starving colony. It did provide some sorely needed leadership , but the same problems remained. The colonists were on their way out of Virginia when another boat arrived from England and persuaded them to stick it out. In Britain the events that led to the saving of the colony were seen as the hand of God and although the Virgina company would eventually go belly up and colony would start making nice profits in the second quarter of the century. For those of you interested in the early settlement of the colonies and aren't satisfied with the Disney version, I recommend this book. If you are satisfied with the Disney version, I still recommend this book and hope that it might help you appreciate the incredible hardships faced by these people. Also, if you liked "Mayflower" which was published a few years back, you will be well into this one. less

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