A sweeping account of America's oldest unsolved mystery, the people racing to unearth its answer, and what the Lost Colony reveals about America today
ANDREW LAWLER is the author of the highly acclaimed Why Did the Chicken Cross the World?. He is a contributing writer for Science, a contributing editor for Archaeology Magazine, and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and Slate.
"Andrew Lawler warns...that Lost Colony fever is a kind of madness.
Happily, that doesn't stop him from plunging into the wild terrain
of theories and conflicting evidence where so many others have
disappeared. Lawler manages to do this in a clear-eyed way,
conscious of whether he, too, is getting lost. He makes a good case
that the search itself goes to the heart of what it means to be
American. Plus, it's just plain fascinating.... The themes of
mingled races, of cultures clashing to create something new, are
surprisingly fresh and powerful."
--The Washington Post "The Secret Token, spanning more than 400
years, offers the most authoritative account of the Lost Colony to
date...[Lawler] recounts his arduous travels with clarity and
insight."
--Wall Street Journal
"[Lawler's] willingness to chase down every lead, no matter how
outlandish, and his enthusiasm for the journey as much as the
destination, make The Secret Token a lively and engaging read."
--The Economist "The Secret Token is a very special kind of popular
history...diving headfirst into the latest developments regarding
the fate of the colonists and providing colorful, affectionate
portraits...Lawler sheds light on why the story of the Roanoke
Colony remains so important today."
--Salon
"It's not a spoiler to say that Lawler never solves the ultimate
mystery, but by the book's end, the enduring legacy of this early
colony, from mapmaking to even the far right, is more than
enough."
--Vanity Fair "Part detective novel, part historical reckoning,
Lawler's engrossing book traces the story of--and the obsessive
search for--the lost colony of Roanoke... [l]eading to a thoughtful
and timely discourse about race and identity.... Lawler makes a
strong case for why historical myths matter."
--Publishers Weekly "[Lawler] creates a vivid picture of the
roiling, politically contentious, economically stressed Elizabethan
world. . . . [T]he author doggedly traces down frauds and hoaxes,
no matter how improbable. . . . In this enjoyable historical
adventure, an unsolved mystery reveals violent political and
economic rivalries and dire personal struggles."
--Kirkus Reviews "This detailed historical inquiry will powerfully
intrigue early American history buffs."
--Booklist "Lawler compels readers to examine the past in a
different light. Accessible and inquisitive."
--Library Journal "Andrew Lawler, an award-winning journalist and
author, sheds new light on the colony and--equally fascinating--on
the myths that have grown up around the mystery and their
importance in the national story that Americans tell
ourselves."
--Greensboro News and Record "After you finish Lawler's book,
you'll have some notion that you are now prepared to solve the
single greatest mystery in American history."
--The Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg) "The 'Lost Colony' of
Roanoke is one of this country's most enduring mysteries. Andrew
Lawler turns Roanoke into one of our history's best stories,
recounting not only the fascinating, little-known history of the
colony itself but that of the incredible swirl of historians,
archaeologists, hoaxers, actors, priests, Native Americans, and
experts on arcane subjects who have been caught up in the quest to
find it. A tale of cock-eyed historical obsession, The Secret Token
is also a serious look at America's confused ideas about
itself."
--Charles Mann, New York Times bestselling author of The Wizard and
the Prophet and 1491 "Riveting and carefully researched.... Lawler
takes us inside one of the oldest and most intoxicating mysteries
in American history."
--Candice Millard, New York Times bestselling author of Hero of the
Empire "Plumbing the depths of the lost colony at Roanoke, the most
enduring riddle of American history, reveals more about who we are
today than the actual fate of the doomed expedition of 1587. Andrew
Lawler's exhaustively researched and amusing narrative asks the
question, 'What is history?' He deftly shows that the drama of
burrowing down rabbit holes and chasing false leads is not simply
entertaining, but deeply informative about our past."
--Rinker Buck, New York Times bestselling author of The Oregon
Trail and Flight of Passage "The Secret Token dives deep into the
mysteries of the Lost Colony, chasing clues across ages, isles,
oceans and archives and yielding a beguiling narrative of America's
first English colony. This seminal tale of loss and longing helps
explain who we are today."
--Dean King, New York Times bestselling author of Skeletons on the
Zahara and The Feud "A fascinating account of one of our country's
great historical mysteries. Fast-paced and wonderfully written,
with plenty of surprising turns along the way, The Secret Token is
a delight."
--Nathaniel Philbrick, New York Times bestselling author of Valiant
Ambition
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