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The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Andrew Lawler
sialia95's review against another edition
5.0
LOVED this book, especially given the obsession that me and my classmates had with the Lost Colony when we learned about it in elementary school. It's maddening that this mystery remains unsolved, but the history of the quest is just as fascinating as the mystery itself. I really appreciate that the author spoke about the conspiracy theories and white supremacy that complicate the search.
rellimreads's review against another edition
2.0
I DNFd this a little more than halfway in. While the first part was an enjoyable, if somewhat repetitive, historical look at what is known about the lost colony of Roanoke - the second seems to be the author meeting up with a lot of people who don’t really know anything definitive.
I liked the first half, especially the background on the politics and history that led to the Roanoke settlement as well as initial attempts to find out what happened to them. Also understanding the relations that various explorers had with indigenous people and how that impacted these various settlements/colonies.
However, I was disappointed in interviews with people who dug up pots in their back yard claiming they were “proof” only to have the author explain why archaeologists/historians/scientists/etc know it can’t be true. Same thing with maps and other finds. I just lost interest.
I enjoyed the narration by David H Lawrence XVII.
I liked the first half, especially the background on the politics and history that led to the Roanoke settlement as well as initial attempts to find out what happened to them. Also understanding the relations that various explorers had with indigenous people and how that impacted these various settlements/colonies.
However, I was disappointed in interviews with people who dug up pots in their back yard claiming they were “proof” only to have the author explain why archaeologists/historians/scientists/etc know it can’t be true. Same thing with maps and other finds. I just lost interest.
I enjoyed the narration by David H Lawrence XVII.
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
3.0
I found the story interesting, but it gave no new insights to the tale of the Lost Colony.
mg_in_md_'s review against another edition
5.0
I selected this as my pick for the 2019 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge prompt "a book about a topic that fascinates you" and the 2019 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge prompt "a book that makes you nostalgic." My family spent several summer vacations in Nags Head, NC when I was a kid and I was captivated by the story of the Lost Colony. I'm fairly certain that I was convinced that *I* was going to be the one to finally solve the mystery after seeing the play. Because, of course, my 10-year old self was going to catch something that adults had missed for hundreds of years!
I absolutely loved this book. The writing and research were phenomenal; the author did an outstanding job of presenting multiple sides of the story, relaying the history, and bringing the story up to the present. I learned so much and was pulled right back in to the mystery from the first pages. The organization of the book was perfect, as was the level of detail. It read like a thriller, rather than a dry recitation of facts and summary of scientific research and rival theories. If you are at all interested in the Lost Colony and its continued hold over so many, pick up a copy and dive back in to this fascinating mystery today.
I absolutely loved this book. The writing and research were phenomenal; the author did an outstanding job of presenting multiple sides of the story, relaying the history, and bringing the story up to the present. I learned so much and was pulled right back in to the mystery from the first pages. The organization of the book was perfect, as was the level of detail. It read like a thriller, rather than a dry recitation of facts and summary of scientific research and rival theories. If you are at all interested in the Lost Colony and its continued hold over so many, pick up a copy and dive back in to this fascinating mystery today.
aravis's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting but a little long. The historiographical battle over the fate of the Roanoke colony is not as interesting as the colony itself, and although it is difficult to talk about one without the other, I think Lawler spends a little too much time on the former.
jsaw22's review against another edition
5.0
This is a perceptive and well-written investigation of the mystery of English colonists who disappeared in the North Carolina Outer Banks in the 1580's. Lawler's dogged investigative work leaves no stone un-turned in seeking not only what happened to the colonists at Roanoke, but also why the mystery itself has so captivated imaginations since then. His search does produce results, but they are both more ephemeral and fascinating than people can imagine. The impact of the "Lost Colony" still has repercussions that can be felt in American society today.