I’ve not read this, this is not a children’s book. It’s a companion to a PBS documentary from the early 90s.

Heritage Studies Book 5

Columbus and the Age of Discovery by Zvi Dor-Ner is based off a PBS documentary that aired in the early 1990’s nearing the quincentennial of the Columbus voyages. It also touches upon the lives and expeditions of other explorers in early history.

We learn about Cheng Ho, a Chinese explorer who sailed the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea in the beginning of the 15th century. He also coasted around Japan, Bangkok, India, and even the eastern coast of Africa. The Arabs were masters of the sea and land routes for trade but they never attempted to leave Asia and explore the oceans. Both civilizations had the technology (their boats were agile and built strong, most likely would’ve survived a trip into the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans) but never continued to sail and find new lands.

Dor-Ner gives a short biography of Columbus; we learn where and how he grew up and how through different jobs he held helped mold the curious and adventurous explorer we know today. He walks us through the trials and tribulations he had to face to get the financing for his journeys; England, Portugal and Spain would decline him, the latter later turning over their decision after the second meeting.

In between the voyages we learn about Portugal and how the country became a powerhouse of exploration and trade like their Spanish neighbors. There were many others that explored and coasted the western coast of Africa, but Vasco da Gama was the first to round the Cape of Good Hope and reach India. They would go on to monopolize the spice and silk trade through the Indian Ocean.

Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci and Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan are also detailed. With the accomplishments of these two men Europe’s thinking about the size of the Earth and its geography changed forever.

The book is filled with wonderful art and maps detailing the routes taken of all the voyages touched upon. My favorite were the old maps that sailors and navigators were using during the 15th and 16th centuries. There are pictures of artifacts that have been found and portraits of the navigators and the royal patrons that financed them. I can confidently map out all four of Columbus’ voyages thanks to this book!

I went in knowing a good amount already about Columbus and his voyages. I learned how connected our world truly is despite the difference in race and culture. We are all linked in some way, thanks mostly to what scientist and historians call the Columbian Exchange. Dor-Ner goes into detail about how the flora and fauna of both the Old and New Worlds were swapped and interchanged, creating a global impact that dramatically modified diet and lifestyle.

I continue to read about the “Age of Discovery” because it is also known as the “Age of Exploitation.” As someone of Caribbean descent, Columbus and his “discovery” altered the lineage of the native Taino and Carib Indians. When the Spanish went on to marry (or rape) the indigenous women, the mestizo race was born. I read to learn about my culture and my beginnings.

This was a great book and I recommend it to those interested in global exploration. ( )

Highly recommended for readers who want a general overview of the events leading to Columbus' departure West, his four voyages and discoveries and the global consequences of his accomplishments. This easy reading book is replete with illustrations, maps and other visual aids that add greatly to the work. ( )

Written to be a companion to the PBS series, this is filled with colorful illustrations, some copies of original maps and documents, others artists interpretations through the years. The captions are informative and the text seems to be well written. I skimmed the book because I was reading an extensive biography on Columbus at the time by Samuel Elliot Morison. This was a nice complement to that with photographs of some of the places Columbus had landed. The author also took it beyond Columbus and delved into the effects of this discovery on the new world, and the old. He covered the migration of plant life and the long-term view of Columbus and how it has changed at various times. This seemed to be well balanced, not on a hate mission or a glorification one either. ( )

This historical biography looks at Columbus and the times in which he lived. 1992 is the 500th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of America and this book is the accompanying volume for a seven-part BBC TV series of the same name. The book shows how Columbus came to symbolize both the spirit of heroism and the costs of colonization and follows his progress from journeyman mariner to discoverer of America. The book covers all of his voyages and their effects on the world of his time and the years that followed, together with the scientific and technological developments they foretold. Setting sail on replicas of Columbus's ships, the author combines actual experience with archive material to create a living history of explorations.