A Pirate of Exquisite Mind by Diana Preston

After their presentation the authors answered audience members' questions.

In addition, he wrote about his adventures, and his books introduced a number of new words into the English language, including barbecue, chopsticks, cashew, and kumquat. On his journeys, Dampier collected many samples of flora and fauna. William Dampier (1651-1715) was also a pioneer in the fields of descriptive botany and zoology, and an influence on Charles Darwin. In this biography, the authors examined the life of the first explorer to circumnavigate the globe three separate times.

Preston talked about the book they co-wrote, A Pirate of Exquisite Mind: Explorer, Naturalist, and Buccaneer: The Life of William Dampier, published by Walker and Company. Though many questions about the Taj remain unanswered, this small history breaks through the legendary facade to reveal a powerful backstory. Explorer, Naturalist, and Buccaneer: The Life of William Dampier. It's the family saga and the exotic palace life that hold the Prestons' attention, but they supply just enough architectural details to satisfy those who might be more interested in how the building supports its massive central dome. Mumtaz died while delivering the 14th child of their 19-year marriage, after which her husband honored her wish that he never take another wife but relied on the constant companionship of concubines. Though Shah Jahan-who ascended to the throne after killing his brother-undoubtedly loved Mumtaz dearly, their lives turn out to have been slightly less romantic than the legend. A classic example of the best narrative history.

A unique man ahead of his time, he lived a large part of his life among pirates yet managed to preserve what Coleridge called his 'exquisite refinement of mind'. ), British historians, trace several generations in the violent family history of India's Moghul rulers and the elaborate mausoleums they built. A man full of contradictions: he who achieved so much blew it later in life, declining into scandal, failure and even farce. Built in 1631 by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan after the death of his wife, Mumtaz, the Taj Mahal is one of the world's few instantly recognizable architectural landmarks, 'an expression not only of supreme love but also of confident power and opulent majesty.' To tell its story, the Prestons ( A Pirate of Exquisite Mind

A Pirate of Exquisite Mind by Diana Preston