A Man Most Driven

By: Peter Firstbrook

Narrated by: Barnaby Edwards

He fought and beheaded three Turkish adversaries in duels. He was sold into slavery and then murdered his master to escape. He was captured by pirates--twice--and marched to the gallows to be hanged, only to be reprieved seconds before the noose dropped over his head. And all this happened before he was thirty years old. This is Captain John Smith's life.

©2014 Peter Firstbrook (P)2014 W. F. Howes Ltd

Jamestown stories so interesting

loved it good writing and narration.. wish I could find more stories about captain Smith and Jamestown.

A Man Most Driven to Create His Own Legend

This biography of John Smith turned out to be a pleasant surprise. British narrator Barnaby Edwards, is perfect for the story. He keeps the link to England alive. Smith's story is filled with swashbuckling tales that often raise questions about Smith's truthfulness. The author analyzes Smith's story in an attempt to decipher what is truth and exaggeration, making this an example of biographical sleuthing. There are many surprises to discover including the fact that Smith was a pioneering writer of the autobiography. By the end of Peter Firstbrook's biography of John Smith readers will realise that Smith actually created his own legend.

A beautifully crafted unbiased Biography

John Smith is simply the most interesting man of his era. This book follows John from his time as a schoolboy to the battlefields of the crusades. From the ottoman slave market to the Russian steppe. From piracy in Morocco to Shakespearian London. All this before ever meeting Pocahontas. There were points where I couldn’t believe this was going to end up in Virginia considering the amount of action this man had seen prior to his entry to the new world. This story is incredible and the author does his best to check the veracity of Smiths accounts. Highly recommended.