"Season of Promise" was somewhat of a disappointment. This book could have been added on to "The Starving Time: Elizabeth's Jamestown Colony Diary;" in fact, it would have been better off if it was, as "Season of Promise" can't really stand on it's own two feet. Even though this is the longest of the three books, it feels the emptiest. With the addition of Caleb and Mistress Whistler (Anna), you'd think there would be more action, but there isn't. I still give this book three stars because it's apart of a good trio of books. And, once again, there is room for another edition. I don't recommend.

Ten-year-old Elizabeth Barker has been learning to live without her mother, who died during a terrible time of disease and starvation in Jamestown Colony. But now, in the summer of 1610, things are beginning to improve. Elizabeth's twin brother, Caleb, has finally arrived in Jamestown to rejoin the family. But Elizabeth worries that her father wishes to remarry, and that he will choose sour Mistress Whistler. Elizabeth is grateful to Mistress Whistler for nursing her baby sister, Abigail, after their mother died. But she doesn't want the woman, who is rarely nice to her, as her new mother. To make matters worse, the colony's new governor is imposing strict, terrible new laws. It will take all of Elizabeth's spirit and bravery to bring her through these new challenges and help her face the changes in her life. I highly recommend this book to readers who have read Elizabeth's first two diaries in the My America series, and to young readers who enjoy reading historical fiction.

This series includes review of basic concepts required for success in language arts at each grade level. Concepts such as reading skills, writing skills, and critical thinking skills are introduced, practiced, and reviewed in each lesson. The program can lend itself to individualized study or mini-lessons (each lesson is about 1-3 pages) for the entire class. However, the program is not necessarily for remediation, so choose a grade level accordingly.

This book was about a bunch of mystifing stories from the past. It really spooked me out. I highly recomend this book for thrill seekers of all ages.

This is a factually accurate story of a teenager swept up in the Texas war for Independence. The author blends fictional and historical characters in an exciting tale of one boy's participation in the rebellion. Similar in style to some of Gary Paulsen ' s Western fiction, I found it entertaining.

The Virginia Adventure, Roanoke to James Towne: An Archaeological and Historical Odyssey. By Ivor Noel Hume. Edited by Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. (Charlottesville and London: University Press of Virginia, 1994. Xxviii + 491pp.)

The Virginia Adventure, Roanoke to James Towne: An Archaeological and Historical Odyssey is a hungry quest for the answers to the mysteries of America's first permanent settlement, James Towne.

European trade routes were extremely dangerous before, during, and after Columbus's time. Untrustworthy mercenary soldiers, treacherous roads, and overpriced commodities did their best to set Europeans looking seaward for new, promising trade routes. Spain took the opportunity and sent the eager Christopher Columbus out to sea, not expecting much in return for their financial support. Though Columbus discovered a New World, he remained convinced until the day he died that he had set foot on the shores of East China and India. Spain and Portugal were quick to send out more explorers who soon exploited the wealth of South and Central American natives. News of Spain's success was slow to reach English ears, but when it finally did, it caused a flurry of urgency, and thus began the race to colonize America.
England pushed early settlers into the Atlantic, where they quickly took Roanoke Island as their first habitation. Virginia proved to be a foreboding place for the new arrivals with its hot climate and bad Indian relations. The Roanoke fort and settlement were soon abandoned; the inhabitants vanished, never to be seen again. The first permanent settlement, James Town, was established soon after Roanoke's demise. James Town experienced many hardships from the start. The food supplies were almost always low, at one time to the point that the colonists resorted to eating dug-up corpses. Relations with the local natives were not always friendly, not that the colonists helped the situation. England was also preoccupied with internal affairs and could not always send supply ships. Disease ravaged the town and wreaked havoc on the colonists' moral and health, taking hundreds of lives over the course of James Town's existence. Ivor Noel Hume explains that despite all of these hardships, early settlers established a permanent settlement from which America later sprung.
Ivor Noel Hume, a free-lance writer and an archaeologist, was born in London. He studied at Framlingham College and St. Lawrence College in England. He is currently the chairman of the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities' Jamestown Rediscovery Advisory Board, though he has held other honored positions in England. He has written other books on colonial America, such as Here Lies Virginia (1963), A Guide to Artifacts of Colonial America (1970), and Martin's Hundred (1982).
Mr. Noel Hume openly states in the preface that he chose to, whenever possible, use the eyewitness accounts of the involved persons instead of 'paraphrasing their evidence'(xxiii). He is careful to provide the reader with many records from different, first-person accounts as opposed to choosing a favored or cherished story. Mr. Noel Hume does not jump to far-fetched conclusions, but instead, he uses the provided information to produce logical explanations. He does not seem to take the side of any race, nationality, or gender. Archaeology is used on a large scale in this book to convey his messages.
Although The Virginia Adventure is packed full of differing eyewitness accounts, useful archaeological information, and scholarly insights, it is by no means written eloquently. Mr. Noel Hume jumps frequently from story to archaeology, which confuses the reader and disrupts the colorful flow of text needed to appropriately convey a message.
The Virginia Adventure differs from other books and writings on colonial America in that it provides the reader with a variety of first person testimonies, points of view, and experiences. Ivor Noel Hume also adds the element of archaeological expeditions and research into the James Town and Roanoke sites, bringing yet more insight to the table. He explains the intricate complications of shaky relations with the Native Americans, the English crown's regrettable apathy towards James Town, and the mysteries that surround the disappearance of hundreds. Other text and reading books on colonial America tend to adopt a single explanation of a certain situation where there are different accounts in order to make the story simpler and more comprehensible. Mr. Noel Hume blends first and second person accounts and archeological elements together, though it is not particularly enjoyable to read.
Ivor Noel Hume accomplished his goal of shedding new light from many different perspectives on colonial America in The Virginia Adventure. This book has contributed numerous insights into early America, and for that, it should be praised.

History 151

October 2, 2001

I purchased this book when on site at Jamestown. The ranger who gave us the tour of the park said that this was the best book on the subject of Jamestown. My guess is that he was probably right. This is a well researched account of the first efforts of the British to colonize Virginia.

Probably the most interesting aspect of the book is the relationship between the colonists and the natives. I would describe the relationship as one of cunning and deceit on both sides. The governing of James Fort was largely inept.

Some characters made famous by Disney meet their demise, and there is a fair treatment of Pocohantas. There are a couple of portraits of Pocohantas, described as "no fayre lady." The book is well illustrated.

The predominant them in this historical treatise on Jamestown, is the search for James Fort. It seems the prevailing opinion was that its foundations now lay under the river. This is proved to be only one-third true.

At times, history books can be dry and boring. Hume makes the characters come alive. Quotation and citation of source documents is frequent. This book is comprehensive and would be a wonderful starting point for any student of James Fort and the settlement. I enjoyed it very much.

Sadly, this book does not live up to its title. The story is hackneyed,uninspired and not very well thought out. In truth, the story line appears to have been thrown together during a coffee break. The writer, Jabari Asim, seems incapable of making the reader believe in the books characters .... for they appear dull, uninteresting and frankly, boring. This novel has obviously streched Mr Asim's limited capabilities as a writer to the limit ... and it clearly shows. I would not recommend this novel to anyone.
I read this book whilst traveling on a long train journey. Next time I travel, I shall fly.

When Ezra Taplin, a young boy with a broken leg, is ten years old, Yankees set them free and bring them to a Union camp. They make friends with a man named Mose and his family. Ezra and his father move to Charleston and work for a man named Mr. Cain. There Mose learns the truth about his broken leg and his mother. When his mother comes to Charleston, Ezra feels that he is truly free.

Notable primarily for the summary of all of Jamestown's military history (from 1607 on) as well as the information on military units, confederate units, ammunition, etc. Historically accurate but not written in the most lively style. Sure to be interesting to historical buffs, who are likely to find information here not contained in other books on the subject.

While this book claims to be a history of gambling in American society it really is a history of organized gambling on the American frontier, whereever that may be. While the author presents the interesting idea that gambling has followed the frontier he fails to explain what is happening behind the frontier. Illegal gambling is hardly mentioned, possibily because it is harder to research. It's an interesting book and provides a good bibliography for those interested in pursuing the topic, but alone it is not a great resource.

IT sucked badly