内容简介
16世纪初时，英格兰尚未融入广阔的世界中，伦敦也只是一座阴郁而封闭的中世纪城市。然而，新大陆的发现和直达亚洲的海上航线改变着都铎王朝时期英格兰的经济面貌，这些变化使伦敦一跃成为新的贸易中心，并且从此改变了伦敦在世界上的地位和角色。
斯蒂芬•奥尔福德这本引人入胜的作品，将伦敦的商人、梦想家、骗子和水手描绘得栩栩如生，正是他们组成的人际网永远地改变了伦敦。英格兰的船只驶向了世界各地，他们与俄罗斯和黎凡特建立了贸易，探索弗吉尼亚、北极和印度洋。而使这一切成为可能的人们——那些家庭、公会成员，以及甘愿承担巨大风险甚至不惜牺牲生命去追求稀有奇异之物的投机商人——他们的努力和野心催生了新的世界观，开启了一个长期贸易的时代和一个帝国，其结果影响至今。
作者简介
斯蒂芬•奥尔福德（Stephen Alford）是广受好评的《监视者：伊丽莎白统治时期的秘密历史》（The Watchers:A Secret History of the Reign of Elizabeth）一书的作者，也是英国皇家历史学会的成员。他在英国剑桥大学任教15年，任历史系高级讲师和国王学院研究员。他目前在英国利兹大学担任近代早期英国史教授。
Content introduction
At the beginning of the 16th century, England was not yet integrated into the wider world, and London was a dark, closed medieval city. However, the discovery of the New World and the direct sea routes to Asia changed the economic face of Tudor England, and these changes catapulted London into the new center of trade, and forever changed London's position and role in the world.
Stephen Alford's riveting book brings to life the merchants, dreamers, swindlers and sailors who formed the network that changed London forever. English ships sailed all over the world. They established trade with Russia and the Levant, and explored Virginia, the Arctic, and the Indian Ocean. And the efforts and ambitions of the people who made it possible-families, guild members, and speculators willing to take great risks and even sacrifice their lives in pursuit of the rare and the strange-gave birth to a new world view, an era of long-term trade and an empire whose results are still felt today.
About the author
Stephen Alford is the author of the critically acclaimed "The Watchers: He is The author of The Watchers:A Secret History of the Reign of Elizabeth and a fellow of the Royal Historical Society. He taught at the University of Cambridge for 15 years, where he was a senior lecturer in History and a Fellow of King's College. He is currently Professor of early Modern English History at the University of Leeds.
