I read this work for two reasons: because I am a fan of the history of early explorations, and because I was interested in reading Verne's attempt at non-fiction.

As to the historical content, the book is replete with most (but not all) of the iconic early explorers- Columbus, Magellan, Cortes, Pizaro, Vespucci, Hudson, et al. While the work is now dated, it nonetheless provides a decent summation of those men and their accomplishments.

However, I was disappointed at Verne's style. Unlike his works of fiction, this book was somewhat tedious and lacked any real insight.

A decent overview at the time, but surely not one of his better efforts. For fans of Verne, stick to his classic science fiction. For those wanting to explore historical non-fiction, better go elsewhere. ( )