Be Specific About About Books Nathaniel's Nutmeg: How One Man's Courage Changed the Course of History
| Title | : | Nathaniel's Nutmeg: How One Man's Courage Changed the Course of History |
| Author | : | Giles Milton |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Anniversary Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 388 pages |
| Published | : | 2005 by Sceptre (first published March 4th 1999) |
| Categories | : | History. Nonfiction. Food and Drink. Food. Travel. Adventure |
Giles Milton
Paperback | Pages: 388 pages Rating: 3.83 | 4021 Users | 345 Reviews
Rendition To Books Nathaniel's Nutmeg: How One Man's Courage Changed the Course of History
The tiny island of Run is an insignificant speck in the middle of the Indonesian archipelago--remote, tranquil, and now largely ignored. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, however, Run's harvest of nutmeg turned it into the most lucrative of the Spice Islands, precipitating a fierce and bloody battle between the all-powerful Dutch East India Company and a small band of ragtag British adventurers led by the intrepid Nathaniel Courthope. The outcome of the fighting was one of the most spectacular deals in history: Britain ceded Run to Holland, but in return was given another small island, Manhattan. A brilliant adventure story of unthinkable hardship and savagery, the navigation of uncharted waters, and the exploitation of new worlds, Nathaniel's Nutmeg is a remarkable chapter in the history of the colonial powers.
Present Books During Nathaniel's Nutmeg: How One Man's Courage Changed the Course of History
| Original Title: | Nathaniel's Nutmeg |
| ISBN: | 0340696761 (ISBN13: 9780340696767) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Characters: | Nathaniel Courthope, Captain of the Swan |
Rating About Books Nathaniel's Nutmeg: How One Man's Courage Changed the Course of History
Ratings: 3.83 From 4021 Users | 345 ReviewsArticle About Books Nathaniel's Nutmeg: How One Man's Courage Changed the Course of History
I had such a hard time getting through this book. It was like swimming through mud. The front of the book has printed across it; "This is a book to read and reread.". Only if I was forced to reading by gunpoint would I reread this book. I did finish this book, every last word. All the way through. This book takes the award for the most mis-guided title in publishing history. The author trying to perhaps make a hero of someone that although admirable, does not deserve the sainthood status theIf I were less fond of seafaring tales, this might have been a tedious read, for the bulk of the book consists of a more-or-less chronological rendering of British voyages to the Spice Islands, with all the hardships and hazards set down in some detail. Happily, I do like seafaring tales, and even though those recounted in Nathaniel's Nutmeg became, after a time, a bit redundant, there were at the heart of the book two themes that held my interest: the origins and development of the East India
There was a time when people killed and died for nutmeg. Imagine that! Stinking nutmeg! Not even oregano or at least cinnamon. I must say on my list of things I would be willing to die for nutmeg is somewhere at the bottom, right before marmite. Nonetheless, The Dutch and the English and the Portuguese would fight relentlessly over the access to nutmeg. Apart from successfully killing the smell and taste of rotten meat, nutmeg was also known for curing just about anything from the plague to
Extraordinary account of the spice trade and life aboard trading ships.
Brilliant.
The book is about the 16th and 17th century race to the spice islands between the European powers, primarily England and Holland, but also Spain and Portugual. The first part of this book is engrossing, thrilling, and shocking as Milton describes the early attempts to find routes from Europe to the sources of spices like nutmeg (which was supposedly a cure for the black plague), cloves, and cinnamon. Most of these spices were exclusively grown on tiny islands that make up part of modern-day
Not a history buff by any stretch? I'm not, but this book was fantastic.It offers a fascinating glimpse into the spice race of late 1500s and early 1600s, and how relatively few sailors seeking riches and glory set the course of history around the world.Full of detail and primary sources -- letters of tortured sailors, greedy merchants, out-of-touch bureaucrats, etc. -- yet shockingly approachable and impossible to put down at times.As an added note, it's a must-read for any New Yorker who wants
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