Portland Public Library

Patriot or traitor, the life and death of Sir Walter Ralegh, Anna Beer

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 299-301) and index

individual biography

mapsplatesillustrations

index present

non fiction

Patriot or traitor

bibliography

1022990312

Anna Beer

the life and death of Sir Walter Ralegh

"'Talking much is a sign of vanity, for the man who is lavish with words is cheap in deeds.'--Sir Walter Ralegh. Sir Walter Ralegh was a writer, poet, soldier, politician, courtier, spy and explorer. He lived more lives than most in his own time, in any time. We do not even know when this fifth son of a Devonshire gentleman was born, yet he went on to 'climb full high' in the England of Queen Elizabeth I. How was such a man able to do this? His life was romantic, irresistible and of central importance to early modern history. Prone to periods of extreme melancholy alternating with extreme activity, here was a liar who believed his own lies. He had a hunger for life, a longing for death, a passion for words and a love of silk stockings. Always driven, and always consumed with wonder, Ralegh was a man who pored over maps, asking dangerous questions of the world around him. His death is a convoluted and contested tale of bargaining, failure and betrayal. Through the Elizabethan golden age and Ralegh's famous adventures to the final act, Anna Beer presents his stranger-than-fiction life in all its richness."--Jacket

The scaffold: Winchester -- Soldier -- Courtier -- Coloniser -- Sailor -- Lover -- Explorer -- Writer -- Rival -- The last days of Elizabeth -- The path to the scaffold -- The scaffold: Winchester -- Defeat -- Revival -- Gold -- Ralegh released -- Dead man sailing -- The last days of Ralegh -- The last hours of Ralegh -- Sir Walter Ralegh in his own words