A man of staggering wit and perpetual contradictions, Sir John Harington (c. 1560-1612) was born with the world at his feet. A godson to Queen Elizabeth I and a member of her inner circle, he was an accomplished poet and a central figure in the vibrant literary world of the Elizabethan court. Yet, time and again, his brilliant mind and sharp tongue would prove to be his greatest undoing.

This comprehensive biography traces Harington's dizzying life, from his early education and rise through the ranks of the court to the scandalous publication of his satire The Metamorphosis of Ajax, which earned him the Queen's furious rebuke and banishment. Follow him on his ill-fated campaign in Ireland and witness his struggle to find his place in the new world of King James I.

Beyond the wit and the scandal, discover the visionary behind one of history's most unlikely inventions: the flushing toilet.Approx.145 pages, 28000 word count