SIR WALTER RALEIGH

by Robert Lacey

Colorful and exciting, Sir Walter Ralegh became a favorite of Queen Elizabeth. This world-famous explorer conceived and organized the colonizing expeditions to America; introduced potatoes and tobacco to England, and ended up in the Tower, following his secret wedding to Bess Throckmorton where he was executed. Along with his more well-known exploits, this insightful study--the first based on an accurate chronology of Ralegh's own writings--offers startling disclosures about his other love affairs, an illegitimate child, and a failed suicide attempt.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Renaissance

439 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Robert Lacey is a British historian noted for his original research, which gets him close to - and often living alongside - his subjects. He is the author of numerous international bestsellers.

After writing his first works of historical biography, Robert, Earl of Essex and Sir Walter Ralegh, Robert wrote Majesty, his pioneering biography of Queen Elizabeth II. Published in 1977, Majesty remains
acknowledged as the definitive study of British monarchy - a subject on which the author continues to write and lecture around the world, appearing regularly on ABC's Good Morning America and on CNN's Larry King Live.

The Kingdom, a study of Saudi Arabia published in 1981, is similarly acknowledged as required reading for businessmen, diplomats and students all over the world. To research The Kingdom, Robert and his wife Sandi took their family to live for eighteen months beside the Red Sea in Jeddah. Going out into the desert, this was when Robert earned his title as the "method actor" of contemporary biographers.

In March 1984 Robert Lacey took his family to live in Detroit, Michigan, to write Ford: the Men and the Machine, a best seller on both sides of the Atlantic which formed the basis for the TV mini-series of the same title, starring Cliff Robertson.

Robert's other books include biographies of the gangster Meyer Lansky, Princess Grace of Monaco and a study of Sotheby's auction house. He co- authored The Year 1000 - An Englishman's World, a description of life at the turn of the last millennium. In 2002, the Golden Jubilee Year of Queen Elizabeth II, he published Royal (Monarch in America), hailed by Andrew Roberts in London's Sunday Telegraph as "compulsively readable", and by Martin Amis in The New Yorker as "definitive".

With the publication of his Great Tales Robert Lacey returns to his first love - history. Robert Lacey is currently the historical consultant to the award-winning Netflix series "The Crown".

Reviews

[Dr G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fine biography.
While Lacey is an eloquent advocate for Ralegh, he has no hesitation in laying bare the man's imperfections and follies.
He is scathingly dismissive of King James I, but surely with good reason.
This is a thoroughly researched and elegantly written account of a fascinating man.

[Rupert Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished it at last. I started this book 2 years ago, but it has taken three attempts to finish it. Undoubtedly Sir Walter was a great man. Undoubtedly this book recaptures the spirit of the times and is packed with fascinating information. Undoubtedly I found the writing style difficult to cope with. Very heavy going. Nevertheless, if you have plenty of time and dedication you will learn a lot about Raleigh and the Elizabethan/Jacobean courts.

[Vincent Hernot · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good biography of Raleigh (Ralegh; Rawley...?), a great figure of a man, and of a time.
There's a solid side-line on his American adventures, and his South-American ones too, plenty on the queen, and him, and the others: really good.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

NOt this one but one written by Willard Wlalage in the 1950's yet there is no info

[Glenn Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Extremely interesting bio of the man who attempted to create the first English colony in North America. What I thought I knew of Raleigh was wrong and what I did not know was profound. The colony attempt was just a small part of his life and almost an asterisk in his career. He created it, but appeared to have lost interest as he spent more time sending poems of love to Queen Elizabeth, gaining land in return in both Ireland and England, and trying hard to make it to the Privy Council. His deep flirtations with the Queen landed him in hot water when he secretly married one of her maids. Hot water.....he was sent to the Tower.

When the Queen died, King James had it in for Sir Ralegh and had him arrested, convicted and sentenced to death. On the scaffold, he was taken down, sent to the end of the line and then sent back to the Tower for 15 years or so.

An adventurer to the end, Ralegh made one last voyage to find gold in Guyana. He failed and was convicted quickly and was beheaded soon after.

This was a well researched book, well written.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ehh. Overwrought, semi-historical biography of Sir Walter Ralegh. It reminded me of those quickly written musician biographies, except longer, more irritatingly opinionated, and homophobic. On the plus side, I learned a little about Sir Walter Ralegh.

[Persephone Abbott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this history book, despite it being a little old fashioned; I got caught up in the fascinating scenario of the arrogant and daring Sir Walter Ralegh -- one of Queen Elizabeth's favourites roaming around South America after El Dorado and loosing his head.

[Jason Goetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent book, a little too adolescent in tone. But it's a biography and all biographies of important figures are useful in some way.

[Chiefdonkey Bradey · Rating 5 out of 5]

A noble bird held captive in a cage, beset by crows, fortune's toy, yet still singing his brave song