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In Search of a Kingdom: Francis Drake, Elizabeth I, and the Perilous Birth of the British Empire Audiobook
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In this grand and thrilling narrative, the acclaimed biographer of Magellan, Columbus, and Marco Polo brings alive the singular life and adventures of Sir Francis Drake, the pirate/explorer/admiral whose mastery of the seas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I changed the course of history
“Bergreen masterly portrays ... the swashbuckling life and times of the explorer who achieved what Magellan could not—and made England’s fortune in the process.” —Kirkus, STARRED review
Before he was secretly dispatched by Queen Elizabeth to circumnavigate the globe, or was called upon to save England from the Spanish Armada, Francis Drake was perhaps the most wanted–and successful–pirate ever to sail. Nicknamed ""El Draque"" by the Spaniards who placed a bounty on his head, the notorious red-haired, hot-tempered Drake pillaged galleons laden with New World gold and silver, stealing a vast fortune for his queen–and himself. For Elizabeth, Drake made the impossible real, serving as a crucial and brilliantly adaptable instrument of her ambitions to transform England from a third-rate island kingdom into a global imperial power.
In 1580, sailing on Elizabeth's covert orders, Drake became the first captain to circumnavigate the earth successfully. (Ferdinand Magellan had died in his attempt.) Part exploring expedition, part raiding mission, Drake's audacious around-the-world journey in the Golden Hind reached Patagonia, the Pacific Coast of present-day California and Oregon, the Spice Islands, Java, and Africa. Almost a decade later, Elizabeth called upon Drake again. As the devil-may-care vice admiral of the English fleet, Drake dramatically defeated the once-invincible Spanish Armada, spurring the British Empire’s ascent and permanently wounding its greatest rival.
The relationship between Drake and Elizabeth is the missing link in our understanding of the rise of the British Empire, and its importance has not been fully described or appreciated. Framed around Drake’s key voyages as a window into this crucial moment in British history, In Search of a Kingdom is a rousing adventure narrative entwining epic historical themes with intimate passions.
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“This fine audiobook revives all the romance and excitement of a story that circumnavigates the globe…In Michael Page he has a narrator in perfect agreement with the tone and character of his narrative…Full of action and adventure, here is history at its most colorful and satisfying. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile
Quotes
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“Fascinating…Drake’s story is both dramatic and timely.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“A dramatic tale of discovery…A lively and compelling history of a man whose blend of audacity, piety and cruelty changed the world.”
— San Francisco Chronicle -
“Readers in search of a story of how a clergyman’s son gained the support of a queen and helped found the British Empire will not be disappointed.”
— Washington Independent Review of Books -
“Bergreen details Drake’s round-the-world adventures as well as political intrigues and mutinous sailors.”
— Booklist (starred review) -
“Bergreen masterly portrays…the swashbuckling life and times of the explorer who achieved what Magellan could not—and made England’s fortune in the process.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Awards
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
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A New York Times Book Review Editor’s Choice of the Week
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#1 Amazon bestseller
In Search of a Kingdom Listener Reviews
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Doug , 3/2/2024
About Laurence Bergreen
Laurence Bergreen is the author of four biographies, each considered the definitive work on its subject. He is a graduate of Harvard University.
About Michael Page
Michael Page has been recording audiobooks since 1984 and has over two hundred titles to his credit. He has won numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. As a professional actor, he has performed regularly since 1998 with the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, New Hampshire. He is a professor of theater at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.