1609: Winter of the Dead by Elizabeth Massie

Massie, Elizabeth (2000). 1609: Winter of the Dead. New York: A Tom Doherty Associates Book.

Many gentlemen thought going to Jamestown would bring them wealth with all of the gold they found there. They weren’t expecting trouble from the natives, little food, and absolutely no gold to be found.

This was an interesting book. I loved Pocahontas growing up and the story of John Smith. This puts a different light on John Smith’s story. Smith is not the main character, but he is discussed at length from the eyes of the main character: a teenage boy, Nat, who has traveled to the new world in hopes of becoming a wealthy man. This story is not about the great relationship established by the English and the Indians, but about what the Englishmen had to endure and what they were willing to do in order to stay safe from the wrath of the Indians whose kindness could change in an instant because of misunderstood cultures. This is a good simple read that tells the harsh story of what life was like for the colonists who traveled to and settled in Jamestown.