Reviews for The Shepherd of the Ocean: An Account of Sir Walter Ralegh and His Times

The average rating for The Shepherd of the Ocean: An Account of Sir Walter Ralegh and His Times based on 2 reviews is 5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2011-09-12 00:00:00 Sylvie Malardel The authors of this book were teaching English at the University of Utah at the time of publication and it shows. This biography of Ralegh not only includes a serious survey of his writings, but it is itself most beautifully written. Most impressive is the subtle wit which appears in almost every paragraph of the first chapters and sporadically throughout (one wonders if that is characteristic of one of the coauthors as some sections do lack it). Unlike some biographies which include in their titles phrases like "and his times" this one does not stray far from its subject. There are no lengthy excurses into the sociological, political, historical or cultural backgrounds of his life, yet still it all made sense, enough information being provided seemlessly and with art to serve. Quite shocking is the fact that this lively book apparently appeared simultaneously in the USA and the UK in 1969, but was not reissued. Far inferior studies appear again and again. Perhaps they had a poor agent.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-06-18 00:00:00 S. David Wolfe Ok I am giving the book 5 stars because my grandpa wrote it and I loved him immensely. And I have actually read it. However, you have to be a history buff to enjoy it. It is a biography of Sir Walter Raleigh. I never found the interest to read it until I visited the Tower of London (where Raleigh was imprisoned for a long time) and developed an interest in Elizabethan England.