Customer Reviews

Drake: The Life and Legend of an Elizabethan Hero

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Yes many books have been written about Sir Francis Drake the gentleman pirate, but here Mr. Coote blends them all together in a delightful creation of his, which not only details his adventures and crimes in a very objective while simultaneously engaging manner. It also disperses many myths about the nature of his relation with Elizabeth and even more, how his political knack and careful administration of his public persona managed to turn him into a National Hero, while hiding from view that his motivation for all its enduring quests was always the same, greed.

Dr. Coote makes no attempt to conceal his virulent hatred of England, Queen Elizabeth I, Protestantism and Sir Francis Drake. He blithely skips over or ignores Drakes' triumphs and accomplishments, while expounding ad nauseum on Drake's minor foibles. Coote's obvious admiration for 16th century Spain, King Philip II and Catholicism is apparent, casting this despicable cabal as sympathetic; as if they were mere victims of unfortunate circumstance and the horrid depredations of Drake and the Protestant English. I removed the surprisingly commendable illustrations and threw the rest of the book in the garbage.