I thoroughly enjoy Philippa Gregory's historical fiction, although I'm not so keen on her contemporary novels, nor the series designed for young people that I sampled!

In this one, taken together with its sequel Virgin Earth, Ms Gregory weaves an entertaining story around the lives of the two John Tradescants, father and son, 17th century gardeners and plant-collectors.

I'd kept this copy for a possible reread - but I know that realistically that isn't going to happen, there are far too many books I haven't read shouting for my attention to go back and reread the ones I have, so I'm registering it and setting it free to entertain a new reader!

You can find comments of an earlier copy that passed through my hands here.

Amazon Editorial Review: "Tremendous historical novel of the early 1600s, as seen through the eyes of John Tradescant, gardener to the great men of the age. A traveller in a time of discovery, the greatest gardening pioneer of his day, yet a man of humble birth: John Tradescant's story is a mirror to the extraordinary age in which he lives. As gardener and confidante to Sir Robert Cecil, Tradescant is well placed to observe the social and political changes that are about to sweep through the kingdom. While his master conjures intrigues at Court, Tradescant designs for him the magnificent garden at Hatfield, scouring the known world for ever more wonderful plants: new varieties of fruit and flower, the first horse chestnuts to be cultivated in England, even larches from Russia. Moving to the household of the flamboyant Duke of Buckingham, Tradescant witnesses at first hand the growing division between Parliament and the people; and the most loyal of servants must find a way to become an independent squire."

I love visiting the old red telephone boxes that are springing up as community libraries/book exchanges in various villages around the country. While enjoying a short break in the West country this week, I've swapped books in seven of the many Somerset ones, four of them I'd not found before. Clapton-in-Gordano is a familiar location :-)

Over a million people around the world give their books a unique BookCrossing IDentity number (BCID) before sending them out to find new readers. Since the start of the scheme in April 2001 more than ten million such books have been put into circulation. This is one of them!

Our hope is that we can track the progress of our books once they've left our hands - and that's possible if finders like you visit the website, key in the BCID and leave a comment, however long or short. It's fun, it doesn't have to cost anything, although the site always appreciates donations towards running costs, and you can remain anonymous if you wish. You don't have to join but if you do you'll be able to number and track your own books!

Thank you NuKnees.
Will read and forward to another telephone box library :)
Dropped off with Tony Parsons' book

This is a 2 in 1 book, to which enabled me to grasp a better understanding of the turbulent reign of Charles I. The settlers from Europe were not establishing new ideas but escaping perhaps to places where human liberty could be exploited and forbidden.

Torn between following into his father's footsteps vs. tradition and forging ahead to a new world, John Tradescant III works towards what we now know as the Tradescant gardeners and their legacy. Tradescant is remembered for being a biologist, naturalist, collector (The Ark, Lambeth is a botanical delight of all the seeds he collected and of course his "Cabinet of Curiosity"), and gardener. John Tradescant was a popular gardener to the royals, particularly favourite to George Villers (1st Duke of Buckingham).

Naturally I found this book a pleasurable read. Thank you Nu-Knees for dropping this off at one of my local TBL :) I will forward soon.

Welcome to Book Crossing a website dedicated to those who like to release books into the wild and to see how far they travel around. All you need is a BCID number, from the inner sleeve of the book, to find out where this book has travelled from. You can log this as AnAnonymousFinder or you can register and become a fully fledged Book Crossing member.

On finishing the book you are welcome to leave a review, then forward to either a friend, family member, Book Crossing Zone (listed on the website), a cafe, pub, Geocache or a telephone box library to name but a few areas, I've left books.

Most of all I hope you enjoy the book :) Happy Christmas