{"product_id":"book-dy9a","title":"In Search of a Kingdom","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn this grand and thrilling narrative, the acclaimed biographer of Magellan, Columbus, and Marco Polo brings alive the singular life and adventures of Sir Francis Drake, the \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003epirate\/explorer\/admiral\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewhose mastery of the seas during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I changed the course of history\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\"Bergreen masterly portrays ... the swashbuckling life and times of the explorer who achieved what Magellan could not-and made England's fortune in the process.\" -\u003cem\u003eKirkus\u003c\/em\u003e, STARRED review\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBefore he was secretly dispatched by Queen Elizabeth to circumnavigate the globe, or was called upon to save England from the Spanish Armada, Francis Drake was perhaps the most wanted-and successful-pirate ever to sail. Nicknamed \"\"El Draque\"\" by the Spaniards who placed a bounty on his head, the notorious red-haired, hot-tempered Drake pillaged galleons laden with New World gold and silver, stealing a vast fortune for his queen-and himself. For Elizabeth, Drake made the impossible real, serving as a crucial and brilliantly adaptable instrument of her ambitions to transform England from a third-rate island kingdom into a global imperial power.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1580, sailing on Elizabeth's covert orders, Drake became the first captain to circumnavigate the earth successfully. (Ferdinand Magellan had died in his attempt.) Part exploring expedition, part raiding mission, Drake's audacious around-the-world journey in the \u003cem\u003eGolden Hind \u003c\/em\u003ereached Patagonia, the Pacific Coast of present-day California and Oregon, the Spice Islands, Java, and Africa. Almost a decade later, Elizabeth called upon Drake again. As the devil-may-care vice admiral of the English fleet, Drake dramatically defeated the once-invincible Spanish Armada, spurring the British Empire's ascent and permanently wounding its greatest rival. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe relationship between Drake and Elizabeth is the missing link in our understanding of the rise of the British Empire, and its importance has not been fully described or appreciated. Framed around Drake's key voyages as a window into this crucial moment in British history, \u003cem\u003eIn Search of a Kingdom \u003c\/em\u003eis a rousing adventure narrative entwining epic historical themes with intimate passions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSupplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"HarperCollins","offers":[{"title":"Audiobook","offer_id":49344245760304,"sku":"BDdy9a","price":32.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Audio CD","offer_id":49344245825840,"sku":"ZEdy9a","price":55.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Audio MP3-CD","offer_id":49344245858608,"sku":"ZMdy9a","price":45.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0879\/2784\/9264\/files\/dy9a-Square-cover.jpg?v=1778405266","url":"https:\/\/downpour.com\/products\/book-dy9a","provider":"Downpour","version":"1.0","type":"link"}