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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.  chrine | Aug 14, 2009 |  Another very well researched historical novel that teaches as you read and are entertained. The main character is a royal gardener in England during the reign of King James. I had no idea the gardens were so elaborately planned - at each castle! I was continually amazed, and grew to love the characters.Will read again. (  ) Suuze | Aug 12, 2009 | This book mixes great storytelling with a brief education on 17th Century England, definitely a great time to read about. The writing was a little bit florid and I think sounded a bit contrived, but I loved reading about gardening, something which I never would have imagined, as much as I loved reading about corrupt government: some things never change! Another thing which I was a bit weird about was the blind loyalty the gardener had to the monarchy. I know that many people did (maybe even still do) have such servile patriotism to their government, but it's something I could never imagine, and frustrated me to no end! Oh, and the title, as well as several scenes throughout the book, read like book porn. (  ) unlikelyaristotle | Aug 2, 2009 | Historical account of England in the 17th Century as told through the eyes of the Royal Gardener, who is very much involved in the lives of the King and his advisers. Interesting and fun reading for history buffs, as well as gardeners as they follow John Tradescant in his quest for rare and exotic flora to bring to the King's gardens. Very good reading. (  ) stonelea | May 3, 2009 | The Earthly Joys follows John Tradescant as the gardener first to Robert Cecil, then to the Duke of Buckingham and finally to Queen Henrietta Maria. Very readable as a historical novel. (  ) mari_reads | Jul 17, 2008 |  no reviews | add a review
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| Book description |
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Tradescant's talents soon come to the attention of the most powerful man in the country, the irresistible Duke of Buckingham, the lover of King Charles I. Tradescant has always been faithful to his masters, but Buckingham is unlike any he has ever known: flamboyant, outrageously charming, and utterly reckless. Every certainty upon which Tradescant has based his life -- his love of his wife and children, his passion for his work, his loyalty to his country -- is shattered as he follows Buckingham to court, to war, and to the forbidden territories of human love.
From the details of garden design and innovation to the politics of a growing revolution which was to kill a king and turn a world upside down, Philippa Gregory once again makes history come alive through the people whose passions shaped that world.
(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:57:54 -0400)
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The best parts of the book were reading all the descriptions of the flowers, plants, gardens, and countryside. There was a craze for tulips as a commodity instead of just lovely flowers. I didn't like that John didn't seem to care for his family enough at times. I think by the end of life he realized how much he did. Also, time passes more slowly in the first part of the book and then speeds up. I needed to pay attention to when it was in the chapter headings towards the end of the book. (