Review: A Man Most Driven: Captain John Smith, Pocahontas and the Founding of America

A Man Most Driven: Captain John Smith, Pocahontas and the Founding of America by Peter Firstbrook
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this biography of Captain John Smith. He led an amazing life, particularly for one who began life as a farmer’s son. His family had some means, as they had a servant and help with the farm, and Smith was sent to school, when poorer families needed the help at home. Early on Smith was interested in having “brave adventurers”.

The experiences of John Smith, particularly with establishing Jamestown in 1606 came from his writings. Smith wrote his own biography and several different accounts of what happened in Jamestown during his life. To go over all of the mishaps and many ways Smith narrowly avoided death would take too long.

Early on in his life he sought his adventurers by joining to fight against the Spanish in 1597, then a few years later trying to become a crusader fighting against the Turks. Not being Catholic only slightly dampened those “adventures” as he was involved in plenty of fighting. Enough to where the Prince of Transylvania awarded him a coat of arms and a small pension and rank of Captain. After being captured and enslaved, killing his master and escaping, Smith decided his adventures on the continent was enough.

Yet back in England he was not content to manage the farm, so he used his contacts in London to join the Virginia Company of London, or London Company and went to the new world in 1607. A good portion of the book is about this time, as it is very significant. Yet this is already getting long.
One of the aspects that I appreciated with this book is the author goes to lengths to determine if what Smith had reportedly done actually happened. Smith perhaps embellished and a braggart about his accomplishments and experiences.

This was a well written book. I started reading the print book, then realized I had bought an audiobook as well, and listened to a good portion of the book as well, as the narrator did an excellent job. However, there was material in the print copy you cannot get in audio with a few maps and images throughout.

Many things can be said about Captain John Smith, and one for certain is without him, Jamestown settlement would not have survived. He was crucial for the success of the first English settlement in the New World.


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