The Thief at the End of the World
Summary
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The Thief at the End of the World by Joe Jackson
In 1876 a man named Henry Wickham smuggled 70,000 rubber tree seeds out of the rainforests of Brazil and delivered them to Victorian England's most prestigious scientists at Kew Gardens. Those seeds, planted around the world in England's colonial outposts, gave rise to the great rubber boom of the early 20th century - an explosion of entrepreneurial and scientific industry that would change the world. The story of how Wickham got his hands on those seeds - a sought-after prize for which many suffered and died, and for which he faced deadly insects, poisonous snakes, horrific illnesses, and, ultimately, the neglect and contempt of the very government he wished to serve - is the stuff of legend. His idealism and determination, as well as his outright thievery, perfectly encapsulate the essential nature of Great Britain's colonial adventure in South America.In this utterly engaging account of obsession, greed, bravery, and betrayal, Joe Jackson brings to life a classic Victorian fortune hunter and the empire that fuelled, then abandoned, him. In his single-minded persuit of glory, Wickham faced deadly insects, poisonous snakes, horrific illnesses, and, ultimately, the neglect and contempt of the very government he wished to serve. His idealism and determination, as well as his outright thievery, perfectly encapsulate the essential nature of the Great Britain's colonial adventure in South America. "The Thief at the End of the World" is a thrilling true story of reckless courage and ambition.
'The first full-length biography of this quixotic man.. Jackson is a gifted storyteller who shows that there is much more to Wickham than the famous "theft"' - The Sunday Times. 'Combines broad historical sweep with the dark story of the fascinating, nearly forgotten Henry Wickham, a tragic adventurer who could have come straight from the pages of Joseph Conrad...a fabulous story' - "Los Angeles Times Book Review".'Illuminating and shocking' - "New Scientist".'"The Thief at the End of the World" is clearly the product of remarkable research... Wickham's heroic failures and his neglected love are narrated with poignancy and humour... a terrific story' - "Seattle Times"'Joe Jackson's strong investigative and story-telling skills conjure up the colour and characters of Wickham's meandering path through the British colonies and beyond' - "Nature".'Astounding' - "Time".'Jackson vividly recreates the drama of men prepared to risk everything to understand how the world worked' - Andro Linklater, author of "Measuring America". 'An exhilarating narrative, sweeping us through great discoveries and international rivalries ... Here is the drama of the scientist made real' - Jenny Uglow, author of "The Lunar Men".
Joe Jackson is the author of one novel and four works of nonfiction, including "Leavenworth Train", a finalist for the 2002 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime. He was an investigative reporter for the "Virginian-Pilot", covering criminal justice and death row. He lives in Virginia with his wife and son.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780715637937 |
| ISBN 10 | 0715637932 |
| Title | The Thief at the End of the World |
| Author | Joe Jackson |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Duckworth Books |
| Year published | 2008-08-21 |
| Number of pages | 432 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |