The Queen's Conjurer: The Science and Magic of Dr. John Dee, Advisor to Queen Elizabeth I - Hardcover

Benjamin Woolley, a writer and broadcaster, covers both the arts and the sciences. His previous books include Virtual Worlds, an exploration of virtual reality, and The Bride of Science, a biography of Byron's brilliant daughter. He lives in London.

British broadcaster and writer Woolley's (The Bride of Science) biography of John Dee is an enchanting look into the world of science, magic, politics, and religion of 16th-century England. Dee plotted navigational charts for exploration of the New World and even presented a master plan to Queen Elizabeth on how to build an empire based on naval power. In the scientific world, Dee is probably best known for his mathematics and his amazing library, which contained nearly every significant book of the time and many titles whose significance would not be discovered for years to come. Dee, and particularly his deep involvement in magic and mystery, has been studied on and off over the years. The most notable study is Frances Yates's Theatre of the World (1969. o.p.), in which Dee is presented as a the embodiment of the Renaissance. More recent works include Peter French's John Dee: The World of an Elizabethan Magus (1984. o.p.) and Deborah Harkness's John Dee's Conversations with Angels (Cambridge Univ., 1999). Woolley's book is not a scholarly text but a much-needed compilation and consolidation of current and past research, easily accessible to the average reader. Highly recommended. Eric D. Albright, Duke Univ. Medical Ctr. Lib., Durham, NC
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