Books with author Giles Milton

Part travelogue/part historical mystery about the most famous traveler--and chronicler-- in medieval Europe.Giles Milton's first book, The Riddle and the Knight, is a fascinating account of the legend of Sir John Mandeville, a long-forgotten knight who was once the most famous writer in medieval Europe. Mandeville wrote a book about his voyage around the world that became a beacon that lit the way for the great expeditions of the Renaissance, and his exploits and adventures provided inspiration for writers such as Shakespeare, Milton, and Keats. By the nineteenth century however, his claims were largely discredited by academics. Giles Milton set off in the footsteps of Mandeville, in order to test his amazing claims, and to restore Mandeville to his rightful place in the literature of exploration. "Erudite, witty and adventurous" (The Mail on Sunday), The Riddle and the Knight is a brilliant piece of detective work.

Call Me Gorgeous! is a fun, stylish book about a very, very strange creature. It has a porcupine's spines and a crocodile's teeth, a chameleon's tail and a cockerel's feet. What on earth could it be? Uncover this mysterious and fabulous beast through Alexandra Milton's stunning collage. With spectacular illustrations and humorous text, Call Me Gorgeous! is a feast for the eyes and a puzzle for the mind. 'A debut picture book that not only deserves to be examined closely, but also stood well back from and gazed at in awe.' -- Bookseller 'This book is a delightful puzzle for a small reader and ends in a good joke. On the way, there is much to marvel at in the intricate beauty of the animal world so intensely conveyed in Alexandra Milton's stunning collage.' -- Books for Keeps

Giles Milton's first book, The Riddle and the Knight, is a fascinating account of the legend of Sir John Mandeville, a long-forgotten knight who was once the most famous writer in medieval Europe. Mandeville wrote a book about his voyage around the world that became a beacon that lit the way for the great expeditions of the Renaissance, and his exploits and adventures provided inspiration for writers such as Shakespeare, Milton, and Keats. By the nineteenth century however, his claims were largely discredited by academics. Giles Milton set off in the footsteps of Mandeville, in order to test his amazing claims, and to restore Mandeville to his rightful place in the literature of exploration.

In 1322, Sir John Mandeville left England to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Thirty-four years later he returned, claiming not only to have visited the Holy Land but also to have traveled to India, China, Tibet & Java. His book -- "The Travels" -- lit the way for the great expeditions of the Renaissance, & his adventures provided inspiration for writers such as Shakespeare, Coleridge, & Swift. Yet by the 19th cent., he was all but ignored by scholars, & his descriptions of monsters & strange peoples were discredited. Intrigued by Mandeville, Milton set off in his footsteps in order to test his amazing claims & to attempt to solve the riddle of the knight. This brilliant piece of detective work restores Mandeville to his rightful place in the history of lit. & exploration.

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.