Virgin Earth

Name: Virgin Earth
Brand: Simon & Schuster Audio
Availability: InStock
Author: Philippa Gregory
ISBN: 9781508259664

Author: Philippa Gregory

Series: Tradescant Novels #2

Narrator: David Thorpe

Unabridged: 25 hr 41 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Published: 12/11/2018

Categories: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Women

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.

About Philippa Gregory

English born author, Philippa Gregory, received her degree in History from the University of Sussex, followed by a PhD in 18th century literature from the University of Edinburgh. Along the journey of her education, she discovered that she had an uncommon interest in the Tudor period. Using her history background, she first wrote The Other Boleyn Girl, which to her credit, was made into a TV drama, and followed by a major film.

Gregory has put much of her effort and personal money into a 20 year old charity that she founded. It is Gardens for The Gambria, that teaches school children to plant market gardens which are irrigated by the almost 200 wells that the author has funded. She is also a patron of The UK Chagos Support Association, a displaced people in the Indian Ocean.

Gregory was selected as the 2008 Edinburgh University Alumna of the Year. She lives with her family on a small farm in Yorkshire.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Heidi on April 04, 2022

I love most of Gregory's books, but this is simply my favorite of hers... and there's not one reference to King Henry or any of his wives... To experience what the new world was like for the early settlers is amazing-- Gregory brings early American history to life with both English and Native America......more

Goodreads review by ~Sofia~ on April 10, 2019

Virgin Earth is the second installment in Gregorys Tradescant duology, written about the somewhat elusive Tradescant gardeners to the royals. The Tradescants, being that of John and John Junior Tradescant, who have a lot to be accountable for, in today's plants and trees in the Uk. Let me start by s......more

Goodreads review by Laurie on April 25, 2009

Both of these books, Earthly Joys and Virgin Earth, about the Tradescant family in 17th century England were absolute page turners for me. I learned a great deal about English history of which I was unaware, and Gregory filled in many unknowns for me through exellent story-telling. I'm a true Gregor......more

Goodreads review by Alexandra on February 12, 2017

The history was fascinating but the main character is a schmuck......more

Goodreads review by Wendy on May 12, 2019

This is the second and final book in the series of John Tradescant and his son - gardeners to King Charles I. It’s not just a fabulous book, full of strong, believable characters and vivid, beautiful descriptions of the many plants, trees and flowers that they discovered and planted, it’s also a rea......more