Overview

'This is history at its most readable' MENSUN BOUND, author of The Ship Beneath the Ice 'Engaging, engrossing and thoroughly enjoyable' MATTHEW RESTALL, author of When Montezuma Met Cortés 'Vivid and capitivating' PROFESSOR JAMES CHESHIRE, author of The Library of Lost Maps A new history of one of the greatest feats of exploration – Walter Ralegh’s search for El Dorado, the legendary City of Gold. In 1594, English adventurer Sir Walter Ralegh heard the story of a lost city in South America from a Spanish conquistador. Setting out from Plymouth in February 1595, Ralegh reached the mouth of the Orinoco River and travelled over 400 miles inland to find it. Along the way, he captured galleons full of treasure, fought the Spanish and befriended the indigenous peoples. Hoping to win favour with Queen Elizabeth I, he was convinced that a ‘gold-rich empire more lucrative than Peru’ lay just beyond reach. He vowed to return once more, so he could finally earn fame and fortune. The book that he wrote about his voyage, Discoverie, reveals the worldview of Europeans on the cusp of the modern era and the enormous drive that the search for unimaginable riches gave men such as Ralegh during the Age of Exploration. But, after he was imprisoned by James I, with a death sentence hanging over him, his hopes were put on hold for years until he was finally granted a second chance to try again… The Quest for El Dorado is a compelling new narrative of one of the most enduring myths in history. Based on contemporary sources and his own researches as a maritime archaeologist, David Gibbins tells a story of exploration and plunder, shedding new light on Ralegh’s famous voyages.

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9781526688941

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Reviews

If you didn't think it was possible to recount with fresh prose and insights the voyages of Walter Ralegh, think again. Like Sir Walter himself, David Gibbins deftly navigates a route between fact and fantasy, romance and reality. The result is engaging, engrossing, and thoroughly enjoyable -- MATTHEW RESTALL, author of When Montezuma Met Cortés In The Quest for El Dorado Gibbins shares his meticulous research with us through his compelling writing. Ralegh and his adventures are brought to life in this vivid and captivating read -- PROFESSOR JAMES CHESHIRE, author of The Library of Lost Maps

If you didn't think it was possible to recount with fresh prose and insights the voyages of Walter Ralegh, think again. Like Sir Walter himself, David Gibbins deftly navigates a route between fact and fantasy, romance and reality. The result is engaging, engrossing, and thoroughly enjoyable -- MATTHEW RESTALL, author of When Montezuma Met Cortés In The Quest for El Dorado Gibbins shares his meticulous research with us through his compelling writing. Ralegh and his adventures are brought to life in this vivid and captivating read -- PROFESSOR JAMES CHESHIRE, author of The Library of Lost Maps A lively and evocative portrait of Sir Walter Ralegh and his quest for fame and fortune. This is history at its most readable – thoughtful, well researched and beautifully told -- MENSUN BOUND, Sunday Times-bestselling author of The Ship Beneath the Ice

Author Information

David Gibbins is the internationally bestselling author of A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks as well as thirteen archaeological and historical novels. His books have sold more than three million copies and are published in thirty languages. After taking a PhD from Cambridge University, he taught archaeology in Britain and abroad, and is an leading authority on shipwrecks and maritime archaeology. He has led numerous expeditions to investigate underwater sites around the world.

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