Captain John Smith: Jamestown and the Birth of the American Dream [Paperback]

Thomas Hoobler (Author), Dorothy Hoobler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0470128208 | ISBN-13: 978-0470128206

"America was the place Smith had dreamed of his whole life.There, his character, determination, and ambition had propelled him to the top of society. He spent the rest of his life trying to return. Though he failed, he pointed the way for others, who were drawn by the dream that opportunity was here for anyone who dared seize it . . . Smith founded more than a colony. He gave birth to the American dream."
--from Captain John Smith

Captain John Smith tells the real story behind the swashbuckling character who founded the Jamestown colony, wrote the first book in English in America, and cheated death many times by a mere hairbreadth. Based on rich primary sources, including Smith's own writings and newly discovered material, this enlightening book explores Smith's early days, his forceful leadership at Jamestown that was so critical to its survival, and his efforts upon his return to England to continue settlements in America. This unique volume also reveals the truth behind Smith's relationship with Pocahontas, a tale that history has greatly distorted. Bringing to life heroic deeds and dramatic escapes as well as moments of great suffering and hardship, Captain John Smith serves as a great testament to this important historical figure.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Of all the icons of early Virginia colonization, John Smith is the hardest to grasp. Most of the primary source "documentation" comes from Smith himself, and he was a notorious self-promoter. Still, he is undeniably an important historical figure, and the first third of the Hooblers' work provides valuable background information on Smith's early life. He was born in rural England to a family of yeomen, and he seemed to have absorbed their hopes of ascending to the status of "gentleman." Smith is portrayed here as ambitious, daring, and possessed of a questing, adventurous spirit, which led him to fight in the Netherlands, eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean. He was precisely the sort of rootless swashbuckler to try his luck in the wilds of Virginia. And it is there that the Hooblers' saga is most engrossing, painting a grim picture of the struggles of the colonists, and they convincingly illustrate Smith's key role in that struggle. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

In the predawn darkness of April 21, 1607, three small ships groped for landfall along the North American coastline. Confined below decks—and most likely in chains—was John Smith, a young, hot-tempered fellow accused of plotting mutiny and facing the possibility of execution. Many of the crew ex-pected Smith to be hanged once they reached Virginia—and were shocked when Smith was named as one of the seven people who would make up the governing council of the new colony, a decision made before the ships left England. This caused many to wonder: just who was this John Smith, this brash, red-bearded nobody who seemed to have such powerful connections?

That question has been asked repeatedly for centuries; now, here is the most definitive answer. Captain John Smith explores the true history be-hind the man who would become the person most directly responsible for the survival of the Jamestown colony. Based on Smith's own writings —which history has proven to be accurate—and on letters and diaries from other Jamestown colonists and archives in both Virginia and England, this enlightening volume focuses in riveting detail on the years Smith spent in Jamestown and his efforts to promote the colony after his return to England, while also covering his swashbuckling earlier life.

Using newly discovered material, historians Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler present a well-rounded portrait of the Jamestown colony and Smith's accomplishments there, as well as new information on the Native Americans Smith and the other colonists encountered.?The famous tale of Smith and Pocahontas carried down through history has distorted and even falsified their actual lives, turning them into colonial America's Romeo and Juliet. The Hooblers demythologize Smith's relationship with Pocahontas—who in reality was a preadolescent child—and examine the truth behind her efforts to rescue Smith from death, possibly more than once.

You'll experience all the heroic deeds, hairbreadth escapes, suffering, and glory of Smith's pre-Jamestown days—stirring events that have all but been forgotten. You'll be there as he finds himself thrown overboard ships only to be rescued; joins in fierce battles only to be gifted with riches; and encounters a variety of efforts to kill him—whether by jousting battle, ambush, or execution—only to find help from sympathizers. For Smith, it was often a case of the damsel helping the knight, appearing at a critical moment to spare his life yet again. His astounding ability to maneuver his way out of disastrous situations allowed Smith to make his mark—but did he owe his success to cunning, talent, or sheer luck?

As the settlement of Jamestown approaches its four hundredth anniversary, Captain John Smith leads the way with a thrilling, eye-opening account of this key figure in American history. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (April 20, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470128208
• ISBN-13: 978-0470128206
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,409,566 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another good Jamestown/John Smith book, May 10, 2007

By 

M. Scout (Ashburn, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Captain John Smith: Jamestown and the Birth of the American Dream (Hardcover)

I read "Captain John Smith" after reading Price's "Love & Hate in Jamestown". Both books I enjoyed tremendously. What I liked about Captain John Smith, and one could have presumed this by the difference in titles, is that it educates the reader about Smith's life before Jamestown. I was amazed by his encounters with the Turks and shortly thereafter his escape from slavery. We also learn about the relationships Smith built and skills he acquired before boarding the Susan Constant. Smith's adventures before Jamestown give him much more credibility as a leader once he arrives in the New World.

As a side note do NOT watch the movie The New World. It will cloud your mind with inaccuracies. I thought the movie was poor enough to turn off part way through.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb, July 24, 2006

By 

Bruce S - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Captain John Smith: Jamestown and the Birth of the American Dream (Hardcover)

This is a concise collection of Smith's adventures that is interspersed with Smith's own words. The piece is well organized and written, and most importantly provides insight into the mindset, motive, and philosophy of Smith and the early American settlers. It certainly provides the reader with a greater understanding of how America has become what it has. And how it will continue be the land where individual spirit is rewarded.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece of investigative history, February 5, 2007

By 

Fred L. Houpt - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Captain John Smith: Jamestown and the Birth of the American Dream (Hardcover)

I had not given Pocahontas much thought, till I had heard that the great Terrance Malick was going to make a movie based on her life. I eventually watched "The New World" and was just knocked out. What a hauntingly beautiful film. I just had to know if this was historically accurate? In the DVD of the film there is a great special section where you see to what lengths Malick went to recreate "Jamestown". The feel and look of authenticity is complete on all levels, so it would seem, except....the actual story. I read through a few web sites that comment on the film; the views of some native American's (quite understandably upset....) put me in touch with the Hoobler book. Took it out from the library and read it. I was knocked out for the second time. What a triumph of hard investigative work. They uncovered material that has not seen the light of day since written, some of which dates to Smith's own hand. The upshot of this is that while "The New World" is a fantastic film, it is alas not historically accurate as far as the relationship between Smith and Pocahontas. This does not detract from the film as such; it is entertainment and not someone's scholarly PhD disseration. Yes, Malick strangely opted to craft the script along the lines of American folklore, which insists that there was some sort of love affair between the two. No, there is not a shred of reliable historical evidence that this ever came about.

The best thing to do is to watch the film and then read the Hoobler book. If you accept the reality that the film does a superb job of recreating the look and feel of Jamestown but does not tell the exact story, then the discord between what is entertainment and what is history can be properly framed. An excellent book well recommended to those who are interested in the founding of America.