Pocahontas: The Life And The Legend [Paperback]

Frances Mossiker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 1996

The amazing story and alluring personality of Pocahontas (1595–1617) have endured the enlargement of legend and the distortions of time, as if waiting for Mossiker's skill, scholarship, and sensitivity to reveal Pocahontas as she was. This biography illuminates the dual world within which she struggled to identify herself, and her enormous impact on its leading figures: the first encounters and skirmishes between Indians and Englishmen in 1607; Pocahontas's dramatic rescue of Captain John Smith and her later abduction; her marriage to the Father of Tobacco, John Rolfe; the fateful voyage to England and her early death. The book also examines the myths and commercialization that have entombed Pocahontas through the centuries. In absorbing detail this vivid biography resurrects the real Pocahontas and unveils the uses—noble and ignoble—America has made of her.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frances Mossiker is the author of many highly praised books, including Napoleon and Josephine and The Affair of the Poisons.

Product Details

• Paperback: 422 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (March 22, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306806991
• ISBN-13: 978-0306806995
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,420,653 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Separates the life from the legend...., December 14, 1999

By 

D. S. Wade "dwade266" (West Chester, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pocahontas: The Life And The Legend (Paperback)

The author carefully examines all the evidence of the life of Pocahontas - through anthopological, psychological, sociological analysis as well as the historical record. Of course much of what is commonly known is taken from the extensive and self-serving journals of John Smith, which the author takes with an appropriate grain of salt.

This is an excellent antidote to the Disney version and a must-read for students of pre-colonial U.S. history.

This book provide a fantastic glimpse of what life was really like in Jamestown in the very early days, as well as what sort of political milieu was present in tidewater Virginia at the time of settlers' arrival.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very long and detailed, November 16, 2011

By 

Briss R. Miller "mouthygoonie" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pocahontas: The Life And The Legend (Paperback)

This is clearly a book for the student mind. Not for the masses. There is way too much detail on surrounding events. On the other ships that brought John Smith to Virginia, on the anthropological aspect of Jamestown, on psychological events that may or may not happen to Pocahontas. I couldn't read more than a chapter a day as there was no life to this book only hard facts. And the paragraphs where the author shows the writing of the time gave me a headache. I understand they had not yet learned to spell correctly but after 300 pages of deciphering through words I was exhausted. I would not recommend this book to anyone who wanted to learn about Pocahontas.