Sir Francis Drake FROM THE PUBLISHER
Francis Drake (c.1540-1596) assured his place in history when in his lone ship, the Golden Hind, he sailed the Pacific to become the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe. Drake the man, however, is an enigma, and relatively little is known about his personality and motivations. Historians today have struggled to reconcile the heroic legend with the facts, which show that Drake achieved his status almost exclusively through acts of theft, piracy, and aggression. The Elizabethan period saw the New World of America, sea routes to the Indies, and overseas trade dominated by Catholic nations. Spain was considered a threatening demonic power, against which all acts of warefare - often undirected by government - were justified. Against this backdrop Drake, who championed England's Protestant queen, used courage and seamanship to gain wealth and fame, and in doing so helped establish England's maritime empire. Yet after his success over the Spanish Armada, the accomplished lone privateer rarely functioned effectively as part of a larger force, and he fell from royal favor ending his days feeling cursed. In this new biography Peter Whitfield, a leading expert in exploration and map history, examines this dilemma to shed light on Drake the man and the legend. Illustrated throughout with original documents, maps, and portraits, the biography offers an accessible and highly readable account of one of the greatest explorers of all time.
FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
Two brief biographies of Oliver Cromwell and Sir Francis Drake continue the winning new series published by NYU Press in conjunction with the British Library. Written by specialists, these bright, concise biographies are nevertheless accessible to general readers and young people, making them enormously valuable. Gaunt, the author of numerous books on Cromwell and the British Civil War, is an engaging writer who takes the reader through Cromwell's life, campaigns, and Protectorate. Readers learn the basics about Cromwell and more. Not just a Puritan but a God-driven man, Cromwell might well be compared to George W. Bush. There are few extant records about Cromwell, and historians hotly debate many of the earlier works written about him. This "Cromwell Lite" demythologizes much of that literature and sets the record straight. Similarly, cartographic historian Whitfield indicates that the 19th- and 20th-century romanticizing of Sir Francis Drake is well off the mark. Drake's reported family history appears bogus; he was a privateer, willing to destroy friends for the sake of his ambitions, certainly flamboyant, and ultimately a flawed man. Again, though compact, this is an exciting and wholly convincing interpretation of an important British figure. Highly recommended for both public and academic libraries.-Gail Benjafield, St. Catharines P.L., Ont. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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