Pocahontas

A fictional portrait of a remarkable woman chronicles Pocahontas' role as mediator between Native Americans and the white settlers, her romance with John Smith, her journey to England and marriage, and her role as a founder of prominent colonial Virginia.This bestseller, published in 18 foreign languages, was written by a direct descendant of Pocahontas. The daughter of great Chief Powhatan, Pocahontas lived a traditional life, mindful of nature and the land, and viewed the arrival of the English as an opportunity to learn. Through her indomitable spirit, she bridged the gap between her world and the colonists.Pocahontas was captured by the English during Anglo-Indian hostilities in 1613 and held for ransom; however, during her captivity, she converted to Christianity and changed her name to Rebecca. In April 1614, she married tobacco planter John Rolfe and in January 1615, bore him a son, Thomas Rolfe. Pocahontas's marriage to Rolfe is the first recorded interracial marriage in American history.In 1616, Pocahontas and her husband traveled to London where she was presented to English society as an example of the civilized "savage" in hopes of stimulating investment in the Jamestown settlement. She became something of a celebrity and attended a ball at Whitehall Palace. In 1617, the Rolfes set sail for Virginia, but Pocahontas died at Gravesend on the River Thames at age 22 of unknown causes.Her descendants through her son Thomas include the author of this novel, members of the First Families of Virginia and Nancy Reagan.From School Library JournalA superbly written historical novel, Pocahontas transports readers to the forests of precolonial Virginia as well as the bustling streets of London. This action-packed adventure, written by a direct descendant of Pocahontas, keeps readers eagerly turning the pages. Offering abundant information about the Powhatan Indian culture and lifestyle, Donnell shows how these first Americans helped the British survive difficult conditions, and her retelling of the story of Pocahantas's life emphasizes the Native American point of view. Young adults should find this an exciting, easy-to-read tale about a unique person at an important time in American history. Since it is impossible to verify some facts (the intimacy of John Smith and Pocahontas, for example), one wonders if some details are actually stories handed down in the author's family.About the Donnell (Lady Griffiths) is an Anglo-American, born in the Philippines as a 14th generation Virginian, who grew up in various countries including China. Her career encompasses, political, commercial and humanitarian issues.Throughout her life, Susan has moved in the top realms of international politics, diplomacy and business worldwide. She wrote articles on Cold War politics, economics and culture for US and British magazines, radio stations and newspapers such as the New York Times, Los Angles Times, Vogue, Harpers and Queen, WINS, NBC, Observer Foreign News Service and her reports on the Vietnam War and insurrections in the Philippine Islands were carried by the AP and UP. The publication of Pocahontas, her biographical novel on the Algonquin princess was printed in 18 languages in 26 countries and sold a million copies.Susan traces her family to the first English settlement established in North America, Jamestown in 1607. Her family include three attorney generals under the Crown, the first President of the Contenental Congress, the third President of the U.S., the only president of the Confederacy, as well as, two Secretaries of State, two Vice-Presidents, a Supreme Court Justice, Senators and eight Governors of Virginia.Susan has been featured in multi-page articles in the major glossies in the U.S. and the U.K.