Virgin Earth - (Tradescant Novels) by Philippa Gregory (Paperback)

About the Book

From the "New York Times" bestselling author and "the first lady of intelligent historical fiction" ("Sunday Times") comes a novel about John Tradescant, the famous 17th-century gardener who was the confidant of kings and nobleman. This is the sequel to "Earthly Joys."

Book Synopsis

In this enthralling, freestanding sequel to Earthly Joys, New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory combines a wealth of gardening knowledge with a haunting love story that spans two continents and two cultures, making Virgin Earth a tour de force of revolutionary politics and passionate characters.

As England descends into civil war, John Tradescant the Younger, gardener to King Charles I, finds his loyalties in question, his status an ever-growing danger to his family. Fearing royal defeat and determined to avoid serving the rebels, John escapes to the royalist colony of Virginia, a land bursting with fertility that stirs his passion for botany. Only the native American peoples understand the forest, and John is drawn to their way of life just as they come into fatal conflict with the colonial settlers. Torn between his loyalty to his country and family and his love for a Powhatan girl who embodies the freedom he seeks, John has to find himself before he is prepared to choose his direction in the virgin land.

Review Quotes

"A cleverly conceived and executed historical narrative spanning one of the most intriguing and turbulent eras in British history."

-- Booklist

"A tale of forbidden love set against the turmoil of a country in chaos."

-- The New York Times Book Review

"This hefty epic illuminates the seventeenth century with clear prose and a believable cast of characters, and will draw in casual readers and lovers of history alike."

-- Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Philippa Gregory is the author of many New York Times bestselling novels, including The Other Boleyn Girl, and is a recognized authority on women's history. Many of her works have been adapted for the screen including The Other Boleyn Girl. She graduated from the University of Sussex and received a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, where she is a Regent. She holds honorary degrees from Teesside University and the University of Sussex. She is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff and was awarded the 2016 Harrogate Festival Award for Contribution to Historical Fiction. She is an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck, University of London. She founded Gardens for the Gambia, a charity to dig wells in poor rural schools in The Gambia, and has provided nearly 200 wells. She welcomes visitors to her website PhilippaGregory.com.