From Library Journal
British broadcaster and writer Woolley's (The Bride of Science) biography of John Dee is an enchanting look into the world of science, magic, politics, and religion of 16th-century England. Dee plotted navigational charts for exploration of the New World and even presented a master plan to Queen Elizabeth on how to build an empire based on naval power. In the scientific world, Dee is probably best known for his mathematics and his amazing library, which contained nearly every significant book of the time and many titles whose significance would not be discovered for years to come. Dee, and particularly his deep involvement in magic and mystery, has been studied on and off over the years. The most notable study is Frances Yates's Theatre of the World (1969. o.p.), in which Dee is presented as a the embodiment of the Renaissance. More recent works include Peter French's John Dee: The World of an Elizabethan Magus (1984. o.p.) and Deborah Harkness's John Dee's Conversations with Angels (Cambridge Univ., 1999). Woolley's book is not a scholarly text but a much-needed compilation and consolidation of current and past research, easily accessible to the average reader. Highly recommended. Eric D. Albright, Duke Univ. Medical Ctr. Lib., Durham, NC
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Dee (1527-1608), despite all his accomplishments, is largely forgotten in the history books of England, but now comes Woolley's lively biography of this confidant of Queen Elizabeth I. In his time, Dee advanced the study of mathematics, mapmaking, and navigation, and his interests included alchemy, mysticism, and astrology. Dee's personal library was one of the largest in Europe and contained, for example, 15 sets of books showing planetary positions. Dee's obsessions also included the pursuit of angels and spirits; he claimed to summon the divine secrets of the universe from angels and archangels. Thomas Smith, author of the first biography of Dee (1701), concluded that he was insane. Dee's beliefs proved his undoing, and he subsequently died in obscurity, but Woolley's account of Dee's extraordinary life may be a start in restoring his rightful place^B in history.
George CohenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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