In 1616, an English adventurer, Nathaniel Courthope, stepped ashore on a remote island in the East Indies on a secret mission - to persuade the islanders of Run to grant a monopoly to England over their nutmeg, a fabulously valuable spice in Europe. This infuriated the Dutch, who were determined to control the world's nutmeg supply. For five years Courthope and his band of thirty men were besieged by a force one hundred times greater - and his heroism set in motion the events that led to the founding of the greatest city on earth. A beautifully told adventure story and a fascinating depiction of exploration in the seventeenth century, "Nathaniel's Nutmeg" a remarkable light on history.
A story of the race for nutmegs and how several people changed the way things work by their behaviour. Nathaniel is a pivotal character in his attempt to hold a spice island and the tragedy of how he wasn't backed up.
Interesting but really I didn't find it incredibly engaging. I'm not sure why it didn't really work for me and maybe it is the author's style. It might make a very good film.
Reading updates
-
Started reading
-
Finished reading
-
20 November, 2008:
Reviewed