Book Review on "Roanoke the Fact That Author Lee Miller"

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Roanoke

The fact that author Lee Miller is an anthropologist searching for historical evidence -- and finding a great deal of it -- that could solve a much-discussed mystery gives this novel an interesting twist prior to reading it. On the other hand, the book doesn't consistently feature well-crafted narrative for the reader to enjoy; in fact Miller's writing style lacks a sense of sophistication that readers would expect from a novel like this, and Miller should have hired a copy editor and a professional proofreader to make sure she was using complete sentences (which she didn't in many instances). The point here is that since the narrative is frequently awkward and even confusing at times, the arguments she uses must be compelling to help the reader get through the rough and tumble of the prose. It most cases -- notwithstanding the flaws in the prose -- indeed her arguments involving historical evidence are well made, and the evidence she uses, the quotes from documents, gives credibility to her assertions and implications.

Synopsis of the Book

Miller digs into all available research regarding the disappearance of 116 British settlers on Roanoke Island, and according to Miller, a crime was committed and that is the reason the disappearance of these settlers has remained a mystery. Miller's account references her belief that the settlers were left on the island with very little sustainable equipment and few supplies, and that was a deliberate act, so they would ultimately perish, and given that there were hostile Native Americans in the vicinity, the demise of the settlers could be blamed on the Indians. In her research for this book, which took abou

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t three years, she found that most of the previous attempts to unravel the mystery used British references. Hence her book focuses on historical references that lead her to believe Simon Fernandez (ship's captain that dropped off the settlers) was among the pivotal reasons why John White and others were prevented from obtaining water, food, and the other supplies during their stops in the Caribbean before they landed on Roanoke Island. Basically Miller is documenting in her book that American history didn't really begin at Plymouth Rock, or in Virginia at Jamestown; it began at Roanoke, and it was a tragic beginning to be sure. Moreover, what Miller comes up with in a well documented though not brilliantly written book is that the history of Roanoke has been misunderstood, misinterpreted, and misplaced for four hundred years. Certainly it would be impossible for Miller to prove all of her assertions and allegations, but according to reliable literary sources that have critiqued her work, the investigative effort and the many sources she located and employed go into much more depth than previous scholars and researchers.

Analysis of the Book

One main theme of this book of course is that there has been a mystery surrounding the disappearance of 116 settlers for four hundred years and that it is unacceptable to hang on to incomplete, inaccurate historical information. Another theme is that settlers were left to die on Roanoke Island in order that a cunning secretary of state to Queen Elizabeth (Francis Walsingham) could outlast and contribute to the demise of the charming Sir. Walter Raleigh, a favorite of the Queen. But another theme of this book -- from a big picture perspective -- is that historians, researchers, scholars and authors don't always get it right when they chronicle historic events.

Was Miller out to disprove the previous efforts to reveal the mystery? Yes, in a way, but her editorial effort was designed more it appears to set the record straight than to "disprove" what had previously been believed and written. The fact that she wanted to present a fresh case for the solution of this mystery doesn't mean she was biased in her writing. She explains in the Preface that for four hundred years the belief was that the Powhatan Indians of Virginia had murdered the colonists. Then she adds, "It is a myth created to explain glaring inconsistencies" and designed to "smooth out… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Roanoke the Fact That Author Lee Miller" Assignment:

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The book review should be no less than 3 pages double-spaced It should be under 5 pages. A book review is not a book report there are fundamental differences. A book report is concerned with plot, i.e. making sure you read the book. A book review focuses on objective analysis, making sure you understand what you read and are conversant in the book itself as well as understanding the meaning of the book. This means that you should not ever, ever use the words *****"I*****" or *****"me*****". There are basic rules to the format of the book review, most importantly; plot details should be kept to an absolute minimum. Remember any analysis you write must be backed up with quotes from the book.

Section 1 is the introduction. It should not be longer than a single paragraph and the paragraph should be reasonably short, approx. 5-6 sentences. The introduction sets the tone of your paper. It should not contain any plot points, although you may want to incorporate a quote from the book (properly documented of course).

Section 2 is a brief synopsis of the book. Do not go into great detail. You would mention what the book is about and who the main viewpoints are as seen through the eyes of whomever. You can say what years the book covers. Mention highlights, main points specific ideas. Once again do not go into too much detail. We all read the book we know what happens. This synopsis should not be more than 6-9 sentences.

Section 3 is your analysis of the book. What*****'s the main theme? How is it written? Is the author biased? Is his writing style effective? Is his information accurate? You don*****'t have to answer all these questions but you should answer most. Most importantly you cannot simply make a statement like *****"The author is biased.*****" And leave it at that. You have to back up what you write. Where is the author biased i.e. we need examples. If you propose that the main theme is something you have to back it up from the book. Remember this is an analytical paper, not a plot paper. There should be no plot in this section. This is probably the longest section of a book review. It should take you through the rest of page one and onto page two, between 12 to 16 sentences. There is a lot of information here so use your space wisely. Do not make statements that cannot be supported. Remember to use quotes from the book to back up your analysis.

Section 4 is your reaction to the book. Did you like it? Why or why not. What was most interesting to you? What struck you the most when you read the book? Did you like the way the author wrote the book? Did you learn anything? This is an important section of the paper but remember at no time should the words Ã¢â‚¬A"IÃ¢â‚¬Â, Ã¢â‚¬A"MeÃ¢â‚¬Â or Ã¢â‚¬A"MyÃ¢â‚¬Â occur in the paper. Find an interesting way to say you liked the book or a section of it, make it a general statement that can encompass all readers. If youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re critical of writing style, word usage or just the general tone, you have to back it up with quotes from the book. There should be no plot here either. This section should be 8 to 10 sentences long.

Section 5 is the conclusion. Run through your main points again (briefly) and reiterate what you thought were the most important points of the book. Make a definitive statement about the book that is supported by the rest of your paper. Make sure all quotes are properly documented otherwise you*****'ve plagiarized.

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