A Kingdom Strange: The Brief and Tragic History of the Lost Colony of Roanoke by James Horn

Dec 31, 2011 Benjamin Plume rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was well-written, and it is a complete account of the Roanoke colony to be sure, but its jacket is a bit misleading. I don't believe that Horn truly shed any more light on the mystery of the Lost Colony than works done before his. He did bring some things together in one place in the last couple of chapters that hadn't been before, but we're still left wondering. I do recommend this book if it strikes your interest at all, but don't go into it expecting to be blown away by new revelati...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Harold Titus rated it 4 of 5 stars

"A Kingdom Strange: the Brief and Tragic History of the Lost Colony of Roanoke" is a well-researched account of Sir Walter Raleigh’s failed attempts to establish an English settlement in North America. Raleigh wished to found a thriving colony to accomplish four purposes: to attack more effectively Spanish treasure ships returning to Spain from Central and South America; to keep Spanish settlement out of North America; to obtain great wealth by harvesting the land’s natural resources, in particu...more "A Kingdom Strange: the Brief and Tragic History of the Lost Colony of Roanoke" is a well-researched account of Sir Walter Raleigh’s failed attempts to establish an English settlement in North America. Raleigh wished to found a thriving colony to accomplish four purposes: to attack more effectively Spanish treasure ships returning to Spain from Central and South America; to keep Spanish settlement out of North America; to obtain great wealth by harvesting the land’s natural resources, in particular gold and silver; and to discover an easy passage to the Pacific Ocean and the trade-rich orient.

Historian James Horn takes us methodically through the separate voyages to North Carolina’s Outer Banks and Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds beginning with the exploratory voyage of Arthur Barlowe and Philip Amadas in 1584 and ending with John White’s tragic attempt in 1590 to re-connect with the settlement he as governor had been forced to leave three years earlier to address in London the settlement’s need for relocation and its shortage of food and supplies.

Horn introduces us to the local Native American culture. He narrates effectively the arrogance and brutality of Captain Richard Grenville and Governor Ralph Lane and the eventual recognition by tribal leaders that these foreigners and their men are not gods nor allies but avaricious enemies. We see the measures taken by the Secotan Indians to rid themselves of these Englishmen, and we witness Governor Lane’s vicious retaliation. We feel artist-turned-idealistic governor John White’s frustration and anguish as he attempts to plant a new colony after Lane and his soldiers return to England. We recognize White’s need to return to London to arrange for additional settlers and supplies to be transported to Roanoke to enable the settlement to move to a safer geographic location. We learn why three years elapse before he is able to return. We see the little evidence he finds that leads him to believe where the people of his abandoned village have relocated. We feel his despair as he is prevented the opportunity to verify his supposition. We then judge the validity of the author’s theory of fate of White’s “lost” colony.

Immediately after I retired from teaching, I researched this subject matter and wrote a brief YA manuscript that if copied future Orinda, CA eighth grade students could have read. Horn’s narration, published years afterward (2010), has provided me tidbits of information I didn’t known. (Example: Walter Raleigh’s promotional efforts, planning, and preparatory actions that preceded each voyage) Horn’s footnotes offered me additional information. His timeline of events that affected discovery and colonization in America from 1492 to 1701 is also useful.

If I choose to write a full-length novel about the clash of English explorers and settlers and Native Americans at Roanoke, James Horn’s book will serve as an important secondary source. Concise yet detailed, quite readable, it would benefit any reader seeking to learn about the origins of our country’s past.
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Jun 12, 2012 Phil Ford rated it 4 of 5 stars

Probably one of the more approachable books on the subject of the Lost Colony. A colony doomed from the outset, not only due to the elements of the New World, but also because of the whimsical politics of England at the time. Horn does a decent job of setting the political and sociological stage of the late 16th century and the players involved; the relationship of Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth, John White and his struggle against whim and bureaucracy to put together a rescue voyage in...more

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Oct 28, 2010 Terry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

This book was just a random pull from the New Books shelves in my local library, and I LOVED it. It reminded me of a children's book I read about the lost colony of Roanoke which I wish I could find again. I still (thirty years later) remember the image of the empty buildings and the name of another location carved into a tree trunk, as if left behind for the too-late rescuers, along with the chilling detail that the word is not finished, as if whoever was carving it was interrupted (and not in...more This book was just a random pull from the New Books shelves in my local library, and I LOVED it. It reminded me of a children's book I read about the lost colony of Roanoke which I wish I could find again. I still (thirty years later) remember the image of the empty buildings and the name of another location carved into a tree trunk, as if left behind for the too-late rescuers, along with the chilling detail that the word is not finished, as if whoever was carving it was interrupted (and not in a good way). Anyway.

First of all this book really humanizes the people involved in the early colonies of North America. I really felt like these were real people, with real dreams and real personalities and real flaws. Thus, I was especially touched by their downfalls.

Second, this book also showed me that American school children are really taught (in the elementary schools) enormous misinformation! We all grow up thinking "Oh, some Pilgrims came to America for religious freedom and sometimes they got along with the savage Indians and sometimes they didn't, but they won out in the end, the end." Not even CLOSE to accurate. It's all about the money, honey. I was bemused and touched, even, by the excitement the explorers and colonists felt about the possibility that there were giant mines filled with silver and rubies (really) just past the Appalachain mountains. I was also bemused by the way early explorers planned things--they took enough supplies to set up camp, so to speak, but if they were running low, well, they'd just sail to the Carribean islands and steal stuff from the Spanish. Okay! Sounds like a plan! And of course let's not forget how Native American history is treated in schools. Of course who wants to learn about genocide committed by ACTUAL WHITE PEOPLE from England? Gasp. I mean, the history is taught as if North America was almost completely empty except for a few random Native Americans, so it was okay for Europeans to just "conquer" North America, seeing as how it's empty, and all. I know this isn't new information to adults, but still, I was still taken aback to realize how, you know, white-washed colonial history is.

At any rate, this book is small and quite a quick read, but I just found it fascinating and entertaining in the best sense of the word. One tiny caveat--the author has written a number of books geared toward elementary and middle-school-aged children, and sometimes he kind of dumbs down his syntax, and also he imagines scenes and conversations and reactions no one could possibly know, and that's a tiny bit off-putting, but only a tiny bit.

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Jul 31, 2011 ☯Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: history

This book is about the lost English colony at Roanoke. James Horn gives the historic background for the establishment of the colony, emphasizing the role Walter Ralegh played in its beginning. It was to be a base for the English to attack Spanish ships as they crossed the Atlantic from South America. The settlers were to provide needed raw goods to England and in their spare time look for gold and silver and a passage to the Pacific. They were dropped off, began to settle on the land and waited...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Lynette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

This book was exceedingly thorough, to the point of sometimes feeling tangential. It was a bit annoying that the lost colony didn't really come into the story until almost 150 pages in - I almost lost interest.

However, I feel that Horn absolutely did his research; all of the seemingly inconsequential information that he supplies us with eventually does come into play as support for his theories as to what happened to the colonists.

For as thorough as this book was, it never got too dry. There we...more

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May 13, 2012 Christine Boyer rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Specifically: Roanoke Island, Chesapeake Bay, 1500's exploration, Native Americans.

Recommended to Christine by: No one

First, I'll say I love nonfiction, yet I haven't read any for a while. I'm disappointed, though, because I expected a little more from this book. I had been wanting to learn about the earliest English settlers for mainly 2 reasons: one, I teach this time period, and two, with my personal ancestry research I wanted more information on early arrival dates, etc. I picked this book because it's one of the more recently written accounts of this "Lost Colony" and I thought it would be better than othe...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Dominic rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: pre-colonial-america

I am glad that I read the entire book, because "A Kingdom Strange" takes over 200 pages to get to the point. The first 200 pages of the book involve the history behind the founding of Roanoke. It explains Sir Walter Raleigh's quest to find the lost city of El Dorado and the passage to the Pacific Ocean along with the first failed attempt to colonize Roanoke. The last twenty pages are worth the wait, though. The supposed fate of the colonists of Roanoke is intriguing and worth the time it takes t...more

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Feb 18, 2013 Christine rated it 1 of 5 stars

American history, other than what I learned in school, isn't a big draw for me. I don't typically like reading about it but this selection was for a book group and if there was one story that I was always interested, it was that of the lost colonists at Roanoke.

Sadly, this book failed to interest me. Even when the book finally nears the actual topic (the first 2/3 is mostly historical background information) I didn't think Horn brought anything new to the table of theories that already exist. Al...more

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Oct 25, 2010 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished

Now here's a book that gets a solid 3 stars, not 3.5. You know I like books on discovering "new" worlds and this is about the settling of Virginia. A colony set up, people left to settle the land, and then they're abondoned and basically never heard from again. I thought it would be more interesting than it was. A bit dry, a few too many people to keep straight. The man who left the colonists, including his daughter and her newborn baby, behind went to England to ask for more help and supplies....more

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Feb 21, 2013 Alan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book after reading several others on the same topic. The author goes into tremendous detail on the political and societal issues happening in the UK at the time of the attempted colonization of present day VA & NC. This book is very, very well researched and very well written. I liked the way the author focused on the human side of the governor of the colony, John White and his trials and tribulations after leaving his wife, children and friends in the colony. I enjoyed this book...more

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Sep 30, 2010 asteroidbuckle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history

I initially thought this book was a novel. And since the story of the Roanoke colony has always intrigued me, I thought it would be a fun read.

Of course, I was wrong. About the novel part, not the fun part.

Turns out, it's a non-fiction account of the first English colonies in North America. And after realizing my mistake and embracing the book for what it was, I really enjoyed it.

Originally started as part of a two-part vision - one, to be a home base for English privateers feasting off Spanish...more I initially thought this book was a novel. And since the story of the Roanoke colony has always intrigued me, I thought it would be a fun read.

Of course, I was wrong. About the novel part, not the fun part.

Turns out, it's a non-fiction account of the first English colonies in North America. And after realizing my mistake and embracing the book for what it was, I really enjoyed it.

Originally started as part of a two-part vision - one, to be a home base for English privateers feasting off Spanish ships and two, to exploit the riches of the continent and discover a passage to the Pacific Ocean, thereby establishing England as a legitimate world power - the first colonies nevertheless failed to live up to their promise. Surrounded by native tribes - some tentative allies, some not - and a wild land they were unfamiliar with, the colonists struggled to survive. One attempt at widespread colonization after another failed.

The Roanoke Colony officially began in 1587, with the blessing of Queen Elizabeth I and the backing of Sir Walter Ralegh. After establishing themselves on Roanoke Island, with plans to move somewhere on the Chesapeake Bay as soon as possible, they were left to fend for themselves with promises that reinforcements in the form of people and supplies would be forthcoming from England.

Years passed. Priorities changed. Sir Walter Ralegh, the champion of English colonization, fell out of favor with the queen. War with Spain began. Very few were left who had any interest in that part of America where the colonists were left behind, since very little in terms of riches had been discovered. The first attempt to reach the colonies failed. And when another voyage was finally put together three years later - this time culminating in a successful landing at Roanoke - no traces of the colonists were found, the only clue the word "Croatoan" carved into a tree. To this day, the fate of the colonists is unknown.

The majority of the book deals with the history of English colonization in America and the trials and tribulations of the earliest settlers. The very last section deals with the speculation of the fate of the lost colonists. Based on the scant evidence available, it seems likely that while many of the colonists died, either from illness or attack, some of them survived, integrating into native societies. No hard proof exists to support this, of course, which is what makes Roanoke's Lost Colony one of history's most enduring mysteries.

All in all, an interesting read. Obviously, starting from scratch in a foreign land is a daunting task, made even more arduous by the greed and ambition of men like Sir Walter Ralegh who, instead of focusing on reinforcing the colonists who were already there, decided to embarrass himself with an ill-fated exploration of Peru and the search for the mythical city of El Dorado. It seems the search for immeasurable fortune knows no limit.

I really would like to read a novel about the Roanoke Colony, though.(less)

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Apr 25, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arts-and-historical

In 1587, John White and 117 men, women, and children landed off the coast of North Carolina on Roanoke Island, hoping to carve a colony from fearsome wilderness. A mere month later, facing quickly diminishing supplies and a fierce native population, White sailed back to England in desperation. He persuaded the wealthy Sir Walter Raleigh, the expedition’s sponsor, to rescue the imperiled colonists, but by the time White returned with aid the colonists of Roanoke were nowhere to be found. He never...more

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Aug 29, 2012 Dawn Branch rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction-4-me

Theories about the fate of North Carolina's Lost Colony can be deary or fascinating. Many just dredge up old stories. This book makes a compelling case for sabotage and intrigue within Queen Elizabeth's court. Sir Walter Raleigh's political enemies may have planted a saboteur to make sure the colony did not land well and got off to a poor start. This book was well written and researched. It is in my library on NC history.

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Jun 21, 2012 Ed Eleazer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Not much new here. Horn's style is consistently clear and readable, but the story he tells is not overly dramatic or compelling. His theories concerning the ultimate fate of the "Lost Colony" are well documented. but also "old hat." If you're looking for a good read about seventeenth century life in Virginia, based on the archaeological record, see Ivor Noel Hume's Martin's Hundred.

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Jan 08, 2013 Robert Flaxman rated it 4 of 5 stars

Easy to read, and Horn does a decent job painting a picture of the time period, but he is constrained by a general lack of available information (lots of "may have" and "one can imagine that" in this book). If you've read anything about the Roanoke colony before, the major beats will all be familiar, but you should at least have a little more context.

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May 15, 2013 Krista rated it 2 of 5 stars

I was disappointed with this book :( The Lost Colony of Roanoke is such a thrilling and interesting topic to me, and when I was assigned the book I was so excited. However, it turned out to be boring and filled with a lot more information than I expected (Boring.)

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Feb 02, 2013 Kristin rated it 2 of 5 stars

This could have been several chapter shorter and you wouldn't have lost much information. If you pick this book up, you're more interested in the colonists and what happened to them than what Sir Walter is having for breakfast in 1682. The ending was satisfying; it's just getting to that point that is frustrating. That and I noticed several typos that made my brain ache. That pictures of all the old maps were cool though.

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Jul 03, 2010 Craig rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: early-american-history

While focusing on the lost colony of Roanoke, this book also does a nice job of providing the reasons for pre-Jamestown exploration and settlement of the New World. Sir Walter Ralegh and John White play particularly important roles in the tale. What did happen to the Lost Colony? Horn feels many of the settlers survived and went to different locations, some to Croatoan Island and others to more inland locations to live with friendlier Native American tribes. Eventually, they assimiliated into Na...more

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Mar 08, 2012 Janet rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, history-nonfiction

With page after page of long complicated Indian names, detailed geographical descriptions of the New World, and much too large a dose of politics for my taste, this book was dry, dry, dry reading. Well written, but complete biographies of just about every character I’m not altogether certain why I kept reading this book.

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Mar 04, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Pacing was not great, spent to long setting up the background and very little time talking about the Roanoke colony. I expected the book to investigate the disappearance more deeply.

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Feb 05, 2013 Fred Van Lente rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: archer-armstrong-ref

Very good book, though padded IMHO with a lot of stuff about the geopolitical maneuvering between England and Spain during the Elizabethean era. Not all that backdrop seemed germane.

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Aug 02, 2012 Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars

This book was very disappointing. Lots of old news and new supposition, nothing that really sheds any light on this mystery.

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Jul 13, 2010 Nicole Spoor rated it 1 of 5 stars

Not really a bad book, but I just wasn't into it. A little heavy for what I am wanting to read right now. Much too educational. ;)

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Mar 08, 2011 Jaime rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

Got a little dry. I think I'd rather read a novel about this story than a non-fiction book.

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Aug 13, 2011 Rachel rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: nerdynonfiction, history

I'm not sure I should call this "history" even though it pretends to be. Some of the historical romances I read are better researched. FOR SHAME.

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Apr 20, 2013 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Interesting historical account of exploration late in the reign of Elizabeth.

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May 11, 2010 A. Non rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: to-loan

A good popular history of how the Roanoake colony came about and how it came to be lost. I only give 4 starts because I was craving something beefier, more "forensic anthropology"-esque, but the author solidly researched contemporary accounts and came up with a good explanation of the fate of the colonists.

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Aug 05, 2010 Linda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

too encyclopedic for me; I like lots of story with my facts!

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Sep 18, 2012 Shannon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Slow to get started, but ultimately interesting & readable with a logical & credible theory.

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