Sybil Review

Summary: In the opening paragraph of The Sybil, author Louise Hay writes: "Many years ago a small village called Sybil (for sugar) became a world heritage site. Legend has it that the people of Sybil decided to plant sugar trees, because it provided them with an income...they were careful not to plant the native species of trees they needed for their food, lest their sugar production is dependent on the harvest of those native trees. The Sybil was a success." As you read on, and as you continue to read The SyBIL, you begin to understand just how successful this small town of 600 residents can be.

It is hard to fathom how such a small town with only six hundred residents could have helped shape the world as we know it today. The history of the SyBIL dates back to when Sir Walter Raleigh came to the coast of Africa looking for gold. He was not exactly a successful prospector; he found only two large mines and was forced to abandon them when a storm caught him and shut off the water supply. He then had to make his way through Europe, traveling by ship, and making many dangerous journeys in order to find the gold that he so desperately needed.

At some point, Sir Walter hitched a ride on a Portuguese ship and traveled to Brazil. Once there, he gathered a group of followers, who took him and his companions on a voyage of exploration. During their time in Brazil, the group encountered many other indigenous tribes along the way. The journey also took them to the mysterious Amazon River, where strange beasts and plants roamed. The group remained in Brazil for almost a year before they reached the Columbia River, where they began the trek that would take them all over the world.

The novel ends in 1690, with the expedition finally reaching its destination. There they camped for a brief period of time in a small settlement built by Christopher Columbus, the first European to see the Amazon. This small settlement, called Jamuco, became a permanent home to nearly one hundred and fifty men, including Sir Walter, who was chosen as their leader. From this point on, the book describes how SyBIL and her people roamed the vast wilderness. They were a nomadic people, who foraged and hunted for food and other items that they required for survival.

SyBIL throughout the book describes the hardships that she and her people had to face. For example, she has her people hunt for a variety of animals that are no longer around such as the horse. However, they always found what they were searching for, and eventually the book describes their successful hunt.

Throughout this book, there is little to no mention of what happened to SyBIL and her people when they reached the mouth of the Amazon. Some speculation has been made, however, it is highly unlikely that they ever reached the Amazon. Their original home was probably near the Guiana Highlands. This is one of the only books written about them.