The World Encompassed: Drake's Great Voyage 1577 - 1580 [Paperback]

Derek Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1998

In 1577, five tiny ships with 164 men set sail from Plymouth. At that time, Francis Drake had no idea that he was embarking on the greatest personal maritime adventure ever, nor that he would circumnavigate the globe. No mariner had attempted the feat for fifty years; no captain had ever successfully negotiated all the world s uncharted oceans to bring his vessel safely home let alone bring back enough gold and silver in her hold to meet the expenditure of the government for a whole year and to give the voyage s backers a 4,700% return on their investment. The World Encompassed is a stirring day-to-day account of Drake s great voyage, an exciting story of courage, braggadocio and magnificent seamanship, re-told in detail by a master historical narrator, with the page-turning compulsion of an adventure novel - and every word is true.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'A fine account of the most extraordinary personal adventure in British History'

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Allison & Busby LTD (April 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0749003227
• ISBN-13: 978-0749003227
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,741,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars A good outline book of the circumnavigation by Drake, January 1, 1998

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[e-mail] (San Jose, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: World Encompassed: Drake's Great Voyage, 1577-80 (Hardcover)

Wilson's book gives the reader a taste of the tremendous adventure this must have been for Drake and those in his group. Very soon, into the South Atlantic, they were in strange, new waters where mystery and superstition dominated the thoughts of the explorers. There is so much more the reader longs to know - what were the thoughts of the average crew members? What did the physical sights look like to them. What was day-to-day life like on this long voyage? Of course, Wilson had little to go on. The principal diary of Drake was lost after he turned it over to the Queen. The book is readable and exciting. With few earthly frontiers left, we can only imagine the spirit of adventure these men must have felt. But so much is lost down through the ages. Even the Ship - the Golden Hind - was itself not preserved and decayed into rotten wood. We must be thankful for what little is left to know about this great voyage.