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The Island of Seven Cities: Where the Chinese Settled When They Discovered North America
The gripping, marvel-filled account of how a native son took a casual walk up a mountain on Cape Breton Island and made an archeological discovery of world-shaking proportions.
In the summer of 2003, at home for his parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary, Paul Chiasson decided to climb a mountain he had never explored on the island where eight generations of his Acadian family had lived. Cape Breton is one of the oldest points of exploration and settlement in the Americas, with a history dating back to the first days of European discovery, and it is littered with the remnants of old settlements. But the road that Chiasson found that day was unique. Well-made and consistently wide, and at one time clearly bordered with stone walls, the road had been a major undertaking. In the two years of detective work that followed, Chiasson systematically surveyed the history of Europeans in North America, and came to a stunning conclusion: the ruins he stumbled upon did not belong to the Portuguese, the French or the English – in fact, they pre-dated John Cabot’s “discovery” of the island in 1497.
Using aerial and site photographs, maps and drawings, and his own expertise as an architect, Chiasson carries the reader along as he pieces together the clues to one of the world’s great mysteries. While tantalizing mentions can be found in early navigators’ journals and maps, The Island of Seven Cities reveals for the first time the existence of a large Chinese colony that thrived on Canadian shores well before the European Age of Discovery.
Chiasson addresses how the colony was abandoned and forgotten, in the New World and in China, except in the storytelling and culture of the Mi’kmaq, whose written language, clothing, technical knowledge, religious beliefs and legends, he argues, expose deep cultural roots in China. The Island of Seven Cities unveils the first tangible proof that the Chinese were in the New World before Columbus.
In the summer of 2003, at home for his parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary, Paul Chiasson decided to climb a mountain he had never explored on the island where eight generations of his Acadian family had lived. Cape Breton is one of the oldest points of exploration and settlement in the Americas, with a history dating back to the first days of European discovery, and it is littered with the remnants of old settlements. But the road that Chiasson found that day was unique. Well-made and consistently wide, and at one time clearly bordered with stone walls, the road had been a major undertaking. In the two years of detective work that followed, Chiasson systematically surveyed the history of Europeans in North America, and came to a stunning conclusion: the ruins he stumbled upon did not belong to the Portuguese, the French or the English – in fact, they pre-dated John Cabot’s “discovery” of the island in 1497.
Using aerial and site photographs, maps and drawings, and his own expertise as an architect, Chiasson carries the reader along as he pieces together the clues to one of the world’s great mysteries. While tantalizing mentions can be found in early navigators’ journals and maps, The Island of Seven Cities reveals for the first time the existence of a large Chinese colony that thrived on Canadian shores well before the European Age of Discovery.
Chiasson addresses how the colony was abandoned and forgotten, in the New World and in China, except in the storytelling and culture of the Mi’kmaq, whose written language, clothing, technical knowledge, religious beliefs and legends, he argues, expose deep cultural roots in China. The Island of Seven Cities unveils the first tangible proof that the Chinese were in the New World before Columbus.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 2, 2006
11 people are currently reading
390 people want to read
About the author
Paul Chiasson
6 books7 followersI was raised on Cape Breton Island, the small island that pivots off the northeastern tip of the Nova Scotia peninsula on Canada’s east coast. My father’s family arrived in Nova Scotia in the middle of the seventeenth century, one of the original Acadian families who first settled the region, so even as a young child I became fascinated by the island’s history. On long walks in the forest with my grandfather, I remember finding old grave markers of our ancestors in seemingly forgotten graveyards. My family would sometimes picnic on grassy fields along the coast that were still littered with the stone ruins of once grand eighteenth century buildings which had been built by the French when Cape Breton served as their main fortress in the Americas, and often in the morning I would watch fishermen unload their day’s catch on the wharf, the way visiting European fishing boats had done every summer since the early sixteenth century. The island is filled with such stories, so very early in my life I was made aware of the island’s multi-layered and often mysterious past.
I left the island to attend university, moving first to Halifax and the Technical University of Nova Scotia for an undergraduate degree and then to Yale for a graduate degree in architecture. Over the next several decades I travelled, lived, worked and taught in Canada, the United States and Europe. Architecture continued to be my first love, but my interest in the profession was drawn consistently to the study of architectural theory and history, to the stories that buildings are able communicate in their unique and profound way.
That is why I have come back to the fascinating early history of Cape Breton Island. There are ruins of built works on the island which suggest there may be a long forgotten history here. Traces of this ancient history can still be found in the legends told by the Mi’kmaq, the aboriginal people of the region, and in reports and maps describing the island and its unusual early visitors, and in the ruins of walls and stone platforms which have never been fully understood.
I now live in Toronto where I research and write about Cape Breton’s lost history and the stories that continue to be remembered in the island’s ancient legends, recorded in its early documents and written in its ruins.
I left the island to attend university, moving first to Halifax and the Technical University of Nova Scotia for an undergraduate degree and then to Yale for a graduate degree in architecture. Over the next several decades I travelled, lived, worked and taught in Canada, the United States and Europe. Architecture continued to be my first love, but my interest in the profession was drawn consistently to the study of architectural theory and history, to the stories that buildings are able communicate in their unique and profound way.
That is why I have come back to the fascinating early history of Cape Breton Island. There are ruins of built works on the island which suggest there may be a long forgotten history here. Traces of this ancient history can still be found in the legends told by the Mi’kmaq, the aboriginal people of the region, and in reports and maps describing the island and its unusual early visitors, and in the ruins of walls and stone platforms which have never been fully understood.
I now live in Toronto where I research and write about Cape Breton’s lost history and the stories that continue to be remembered in the island’s ancient legends, recorded in its early documents and written in its ruins.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
March 3, 2014
This one is a doozy. I read the first half, partly bored silly, partly put off by what seems the author's credulity, then decided to check some things out online. What I turned up made it obvious there was no point in carrying on.
First of all, the premise, that the Chinese settled on an isolated crag on the tip of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, seemed outlandish but worth investigation (it was a sale book, so not much to lose). Second, the author claims that, while dying of AIDS, he amassed huge quantities of historical information on Cape Breton (the home to generations of his family), virtually every expedition taken to the coast of North America over several hundred years, every map of note made of these travels, much of the history of China, and been accepted to speak before a symposium on Chinese exploration. All within two years, while also teaching and practicing architecture.
His tracing of Cape Breton's history might make an interesting monograph in its own right, but as a prolonged (with the emphasis on "long") introduction to his supposed thesis it is sleep-enducing. More telling, it turns out that local forest managers, among others, have shown that the photos he uses are mis-identified by as much as 30 years, that they bear no relation to any supposed ruins, Chinese or otherwise, and actually picture firebreaks constructed as recently as 1989.
But even that's just a teaser. The book flap bio states that "Paul Chiasson is a Yale-educated architect ... [who] has taught at Yale, at the Catholic University of America ... and at the University of Toronto." I didn't check the Catholic U., but no such person turns up in searches of either Yale of Toronto, except an adjunct in surgery at the latter. I can't find any online reference to the "author" except in connection with this particular book. And the book's copyright is not to Mr. Chiasson, but to "Island of Seven Cities, Inc." I say, does anyone smell something odd?
It would appear that there is no such "Paul Chiasson," although others with that name have lived on Cape Breton, including a local teacher who died in 2012 – and who spent eight years after retirement in China.
What was the point of all this? To put out a history of the island that would not otherwise have reached print? And was St. Martin's Press aware of whatever was going on? If so, why would they be part of it?
I guess you can have fun with the book, and you might well enjoy the history of Cape Breton itself, which somehow sounds to be accurate if you ignore the "Seven Cities"nonsense – which is why I gave it a second star. For the rest, it's a lot of hooey, concocted to god know's what end.
First of all, the premise, that the Chinese settled on an isolated crag on the tip of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, seemed outlandish but worth investigation (it was a sale book, so not much to lose). Second, the author claims that, while dying of AIDS, he amassed huge quantities of historical information on Cape Breton (the home to generations of his family), virtually every expedition taken to the coast of North America over several hundred years, every map of note made of these travels, much of the history of China, and been accepted to speak before a symposium on Chinese exploration. All within two years, while also teaching and practicing architecture.
His tracing of Cape Breton's history might make an interesting monograph in its own right, but as a prolonged (with the emphasis on "long") introduction to his supposed thesis it is sleep-enducing. More telling, it turns out that local forest managers, among others, have shown that the photos he uses are mis-identified by as much as 30 years, that they bear no relation to any supposed ruins, Chinese or otherwise, and actually picture firebreaks constructed as recently as 1989.
But even that's just a teaser. The book flap bio states that "Paul Chiasson is a Yale-educated architect ... [who] has taught at Yale, at the Catholic University of America ... and at the University of Toronto." I didn't check the Catholic U., but no such person turns up in searches of either Yale of Toronto, except an adjunct in surgery at the latter. I can't find any online reference to the "author" except in connection with this particular book. And the book's copyright is not to Mr. Chiasson, but to "Island of Seven Cities, Inc." I say, does anyone smell something odd?
It would appear that there is no such "Paul Chiasson," although others with that name have lived on Cape Breton, including a local teacher who died in 2012 – and who spent eight years after retirement in China.
What was the point of all this? To put out a history of the island that would not otherwise have reached print? And was St. Martin's Press aware of whatever was going on? If so, why would they be part of it?
I guess you can have fun with the book, and you might well enjoy the history of Cape Breton itself, which somehow sounds to be accurate if you ignore the "Seven Cities"nonsense – which is why I gave it a second star. For the rest, it's a lot of hooey, concocted to god know's what end.
May 10, 2022
Review originally published February 2007
The Chinese discovered America? The Island of Seven Cities: Where the Chinese Settled When They Discovered America reads like an alternative fiction story, but is classified as history. It had me searching the Internet (somewhat like when I read The Da Vinci Code) for credibility.
This fascinating piece of detective work appears to turn legend into fact after author Paul Chiasson discovers ruins in his native Nova Scotia. He presents what appears to be tangible proof that the Chinese had their own settlement in America long before other European settlers. Paul Chaisson (architect, accidental discoverer, and author) rewrites American history with this personal account of his own research.
His adventure began in 2002 when he discovered the remnants of a road while walking on Cape Breton Island, a place his family had settled eight generations earlier. Chiasson consulted his families’ history books about the area and his curiosity grew.
This book chronicles his investigation of aerial photos, old maps, and the culture of the native Mi’kmaq Indians. Maps and photos are included, which support Chaisson’s conclusions.
He makes a case that the Indian legend of the Island of Seven Cities is based on fact and that the ruins, an entire town site on a mountaintop, are indeed evidence of a large scale and thriving Chinese settlement. Whatever these ruins are, I hope that they are explored further by the experts.
Move over Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci! Who done it? This compelling book would be of interest to history buffs as well as mystery and alternative fiction readers.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
The Chinese discovered America? The Island of Seven Cities: Where the Chinese Settled When They Discovered America reads like an alternative fiction story, but is classified as history. It had me searching the Internet (somewhat like when I read The Da Vinci Code) for credibility.
This fascinating piece of detective work appears to turn legend into fact after author Paul Chiasson discovers ruins in his native Nova Scotia. He presents what appears to be tangible proof that the Chinese had their own settlement in America long before other European settlers. Paul Chaisson (architect, accidental discoverer, and author) rewrites American history with this personal account of his own research.
His adventure began in 2002 when he discovered the remnants of a road while walking on Cape Breton Island, a place his family had settled eight generations earlier. Chiasson consulted his families’ history books about the area and his curiosity grew.
This book chronicles his investigation of aerial photos, old maps, and the culture of the native Mi’kmaq Indians. Maps and photos are included, which support Chaisson’s conclusions.
He makes a case that the Indian legend of the Island of Seven Cities is based on fact and that the ruins, an entire town site on a mountaintop, are indeed evidence of a large scale and thriving Chinese settlement. Whatever these ruins are, I hope that they are explored further by the experts.
Move over Christopher Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci! Who done it? This compelling book would be of interest to history buffs as well as mystery and alternative fiction readers.
Find this book and other titles within our catalog.
January 2, 2016
I had purchased this title having spotted it at a local bookstore, intrigued as I was by Gavin Menzies' theory that the Chinese had circumvented and mapped the globe as early as the 1420s ... long before Magellan's documented voyage of 1519-1521. Paul Chiasson, the author of this particular pseudo-scientific title, claimed that he had discovered remnants of ancient Chinese settlements on Cape Breton, the place of his birth.
The book is certainly enthusiastically written, rather entertaining, and, crucially, quite convincing. However, the science and evidence fall flat under scrutiny. The ancient walls, crumpled ruins, and roads "discovered" by Chiasson, were later revealed by archeologists and folks familiar with the area to be an assortment of natural rock formations, and various remnants of human construction dating back to late 1800s, and as early as late 1980s ... a little bit of time with a search engine reveals scores of articles debunking this theory.
Whether Chiasson seriously contemplated this outlandish theory, or fabricated it to garner some attention for whatever reason, I do not know. Perhaps it is a story of fiction, wrapped in the pretense of science for the benefit of publicity generated by controversy. Regardless, this work cheats the reader into believing a lie. As such, I cannot rate it highly ... the 2 stars are both a reward for the entertainment and bits of historical facts, and a penalty for the blatant lie.
The book is certainly enthusiastically written, rather entertaining, and, crucially, quite convincing. However, the science and evidence fall flat under scrutiny. The ancient walls, crumpled ruins, and roads "discovered" by Chiasson, were later revealed by archeologists and folks familiar with the area to be an assortment of natural rock formations, and various remnants of human construction dating back to late 1800s, and as early as late 1980s ... a little bit of time with a search engine reveals scores of articles debunking this theory.
Whether Chiasson seriously contemplated this outlandish theory, or fabricated it to garner some attention for whatever reason, I do not know. Perhaps it is a story of fiction, wrapped in the pretense of science for the benefit of publicity generated by controversy. Regardless, this work cheats the reader into believing a lie. As such, I cannot rate it highly ... the 2 stars are both a reward for the entertainment and bits of historical facts, and a penalty for the blatant lie.
January 3, 2012
'The Island of Seven Cities' is Cape Breton Island, and I came across this book in a gift shop by the Bras D'Or (guilty from admission-didn't buy it but ordered it from my public library when I got home).
There are two stories which run in parallel: first,Paul Chiasson, the author, is gradually getting sicker and sicker; next,he is gradually getting more and more convinced of a truly wacky idea- that the Chinese visited Cape Breton Island about a hundred years before European settlement began, leaving memories of Christianity, metal smelting and writing which enabled the Micmac of Cape Breton to survive when the Beothuks of Newfoundland could not.
The first story is compelling and easily stands comparison with other personal accounts of confronting and overcoming severe illness. His quest stops the story becoming introspective and (spoiler alert) his family taking him to give a lecture at the Smithsonian Institute deserves to be on screen.
The second idea was truly fresh to me- I hadn't heard of Gavin Menzies,who originated the idea of the medieval Chinese as world explorers, before I read this book. It gives the evidence for it in the order that he found it, rather than as an academic thesis, which means it is helpful to leave bookmarks at the important places.It makes sense, which doesn't mean that it is true, but does mean that it is sufficiently convincing for there to need to be further academic and field research. It was enough to encourage me to read Gavin Menzies books 1421 and 1436 (reviews to come)
I strongly recommend this book: at the very least, it should make Cape Breton as visited by Chinese as Prince Edward Island is visited by Japanese. Just maybe, it will become an opera which will change the way Canadians think of themselves.
There are two stories which run in parallel: first,Paul Chiasson, the author, is gradually getting sicker and sicker; next,he is gradually getting more and more convinced of a truly wacky idea- that the Chinese visited Cape Breton Island about a hundred years before European settlement began, leaving memories of Christianity, metal smelting and writing which enabled the Micmac of Cape Breton to survive when the Beothuks of Newfoundland could not.
The first story is compelling and easily stands comparison with other personal accounts of confronting and overcoming severe illness. His quest stops the story becoming introspective and (spoiler alert) his family taking him to give a lecture at the Smithsonian Institute deserves to be on screen.
The second idea was truly fresh to me- I hadn't heard of Gavin Menzies,who originated the idea of the medieval Chinese as world explorers, before I read this book. It gives the evidence for it in the order that he found it, rather than as an academic thesis, which means it is helpful to leave bookmarks at the important places.It makes sense, which doesn't mean that it is true, but does mean that it is sufficiently convincing for there to need to be further academic and field research. It was enough to encourage me to read Gavin Menzies books 1421 and 1436 (reviews to come)
I strongly recommend this book: at the very least, it should make Cape Breton as visited by Chinese as Prince Edward Island is visited by Japanese. Just maybe, it will become an opera which will change the way Canadians think of themselves.
December 3, 2017
A must-read for anyone who is interested in pre-columbian expeditions
This was an excellent further elucidation of the theory of Chinese settlement before the time of Columbus in the Americas. Where Menzies books are somewhat marred by his jumping to conclusions, Chiasson carefully leads the reader through his discovery of a Chinese settlement on the Cape Breton Islands. He shares with the reader his step by step elimination of The Usual European Suspects: Portuguese, French, English, etc. for the remains of a extensive ruins on Cape Dauphin. You share his surprise as he comes to the conclusion driven by the evidence that he gatherers that the site could only have been built and maintained for many centuries by the Chinese. I found his pictures of Micmac clothing and designs striking in the extreme. They look identical to ancient Chinese clothing. All in all I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Menzies but wishes for more evidence and less hyperbole or anyone who is generally interested in evidence of pre-columbian or pre-European expeditions to the Americas.
This was an excellent further elucidation of the theory of Chinese settlement before the time of Columbus in the Americas. Where Menzies books are somewhat marred by his jumping to conclusions, Chiasson carefully leads the reader through his discovery of a Chinese settlement on the Cape Breton Islands. He shares with the reader his step by step elimination of The Usual European Suspects: Portuguese, French, English, etc. for the remains of a extensive ruins on Cape Dauphin. You share his surprise as he comes to the conclusion driven by the evidence that he gatherers that the site could only have been built and maintained for many centuries by the Chinese. I found his pictures of Micmac clothing and designs striking in the extreme. They look identical to ancient Chinese clothing. All in all I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Menzies but wishes for more evidence and less hyperbole or anyone who is generally interested in evidence of pre-columbian or pre-European expeditions to the Americas.
May 22, 2025
Update: While I am still super fascinated by what I read and by the ideas suggested in this book, it does appear that some evidence after the book was published may have called into question some of its conclusions. So, I will continue to read some more to learn what I can and also remember that learning must be from many angles!
This book was fascinating! I found it well-researched and well-written. As usual after reading a solid non-fiction book, I am aware of all the things I don’t know about history and the world (Eastern history in particular—not just Canadian history). But what a fun feeling of inspiration—the curiosity to learn and know more. I am so curious to find out what’s been discovered since this book was published. Definitely one I’m glad to have read before our trip to PEI/the Maritimes area.
This book was fascinating! I found it well-researched and well-written. As usual after reading a solid non-fiction book, I am aware of all the things I don’t know about history and the world (Eastern history in particular—not just Canadian history). But what a fun feeling of inspiration—the curiosity to learn and know more. I am so curious to find out what’s been discovered since this book was published. Definitely one I’m glad to have read before our trip to PEI/the Maritimes area.
January 30, 2023
I’m not convinced. The author presents a case for his belief that there was a significant Chinese settlement in Cape Breton before the Europeans first arrived in North America. A friend who avidly follows all developments (or lack thereof) on Oak Island insisted that we read this book. Chiasson grew up in Cape Breton. On a visit back home he hiked to the top of an isolated hill and found what appeared to be a stone road and a stone wall. His extensive research convinced him that they weren’t built by the French or English or Spanish or Portuguese. Further research brought him to the conclusion that the Chinese traveled here, created a settlement, and befriended the Mi’kmaq. Now all he has to do is get his own TV show, maybe “The Curse of Cape Dauphin”,
January 12, 2020
We are planning a trip to Cape Brenton next year and I picked this book up at the library. It is extraordinary following Paul Chiasson in his research and discovery that Chinese exploration and settlement is the source of ancient ruins on the rugged coast of Cape Breton, after eliminating all other explanations. I loved learning the history of the Island and the intriguing unraveling of origin of ruins on the northern coast near a natural harbor. There is a personal story and personal journey that is part of his search for the origin of the ruins. Paul is a native son of Cape Brenton and he grew up close to this history.
September 28, 2020
This book was really interesting. I had heard stories about the Chinese settling in america before anybody else but hadn't read anything about it. The author spells out a lot of facts to suggest the natives took on a lot of chinese culture which is hard to argue with. The evidence is definitely there. I just can't believe everything without someone with a more scientific background doing some further research, including digs, etc (which may have happened since this book came out like 15 hears ago, no idea). I will have to go do some other reading and research myself now but this definite triggered an interest. I would definitely recommend this.
January 27, 2022
Chinese in eastern Canada before John Cabot?
Well-written and researched. The author presents his case sensibly and methodically. The story was ruined somewhat for me when I looked up more information on the site, however, and I'm skeptical. He doesn't find any artifacts, any evidence beyond possibly hewn and laid rocks. And why, along the entire eastern coast of South and North America, would the Ming Chinese put up a settlement here?
Still, it's fun to speculate on exploration from centuries ago.
Well-written and researched. The author presents his case sensibly and methodically. The story was ruined somewhat for me when I looked up more information on the site, however, and I'm skeptical. He doesn't find any artifacts, any evidence beyond possibly hewn and laid rocks. And why, along the entire eastern coast of South and North America, would the Ming Chinese put up a settlement here?
Still, it's fun to speculate on exploration from centuries ago.
June 14, 2019
This is a well-researched, well-written book. I have not investigated the scientific evidence and some of the conclusions may be a bit of a leap, but it is an interesting, entertaining story. It presents an archeological and historical detective story and makes what seems to me a plausible case for a Chinese presence and influence on Cape Breton Island prior to the arrival of Europeans. Whatever you ultimately believe about the evidence and the author's conclusions, it was a fun read.
September 14, 2023
I did enjoy the book very much but I think that the British conducted ethnic cleansing against the First Nation peoples as well as the Acadians.
I think it is likely that the Chinese settlement was there for sometime in the Maritimes.
The Ming dynasty was also a foreign one as they Manchus came from a similar area to the Mongols. The Mongols may have been removed from power in China but continued to influence the Ming dynasty for several centuries afterward.
I think it is likely that the Chinese settlement was there for sometime in the Maritimes.
The Ming dynasty was also a foreign one as they Manchus came from a similar area to the Mongols. The Mongols may have been removed from power in China but continued to influence the Ming dynasty for several centuries afterward.
Read
May 1, 2021Very solid evidence of Chinese having settled in North America before the Europeans but my question is where did they go? If it was a big settlement there must be graves where bones can be dug up and carbon dated. Did some of them get assimilated into the Mi'kmag tribe?
January 17, 2019
Entertaining and thought-provoking. Would have liked to know where he went in his research after this - was any of his theory debunked or supported?
July 9, 2024
Interesting theory
September 8, 2014
The Island of Seven Cities: Where the Chinese Settled When They Discovered America by Paul Chiasson
For so many years, North Americans have been taught that Columbus was the discoverer of "The New World" when this could not be furthest from the truth. Vikings of the ninth century were crossing from Europe to Greenland and Iceland fairly regularly. The Vikings, in fact, established a colony on the northern end of Newfoundland. Chiasson presents his information that the Chinese actually settled on the northern end of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Columbus had known about the Island of Seven Cities twenty years before he "found" the New World" so obviously somebody had been there long before him and his ilk. Chiasson believes that the earliest inhabitants of Cape Breton Island, besides the native Amerindian populations, were Chinese explorers. Gavin Menzies in his book, 1424, comes to the same conclusions about the Chinese; they established colonies in many different parts of the world.
I found this book very exciting and captivating. Chaisson tells this fascinating story with an eye to building suspense and intrigue along the way until he can successfully get the reader to agree that the Chinese cold be responsible for settling in Cape Breton Island.
Anybody looking for some historical detective reading along the sme lines as Menzies would appreciate this book. I found it captivating.
Happy Reading,
For so many years, North Americans have been taught that Columbus was the discoverer of "The New World" when this could not be furthest from the truth. Vikings of the ninth century were crossing from Europe to Greenland and Iceland fairly regularly. The Vikings, in fact, established a colony on the northern end of Newfoundland. Chiasson presents his information that the Chinese actually settled on the northern end of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Columbus had known about the Island of Seven Cities twenty years before he "found" the New World" so obviously somebody had been there long before him and his ilk. Chiasson believes that the earliest inhabitants of Cape Breton Island, besides the native Amerindian populations, were Chinese explorers. Gavin Menzies in his book, 1424, comes to the same conclusions about the Chinese; they established colonies in many different parts of the world.
I found this book very exciting and captivating. Chaisson tells this fascinating story with an eye to building suspense and intrigue along the way until he can successfully get the reader to agree that the Chinese cold be responsible for settling in Cape Breton Island.
Anybody looking for some historical detective reading along the sme lines as Menzies would appreciate this book. I found it captivating.
Happy Reading,
November 30, 2013
Paul Chiasson discovers the renmants of a road while hiking in his native Nova Scotia. His curiousity spawns intensive, solitary and self funded research that includes every mapping he can find from a 1424 sketch to current aerial photographs. He reads the accounts of explorers and missionaries.
The author is a passionate amateur with good reason for his passion. He has made an incredible find, even more incredible for its having laid undiscovered in modern times.
Besides his clear and convincing text, he presents aerial photos which demonstrate the dimensions of this forgotten area and photos of the lore of the Mi'kmaqs which demonstrate a Chinese influence.
Chiasson has laid out the challenge and the ball is now in the court of the archaeologists. What is this discovery? Did the Chinese build these structures as Chiasson poses? If so, why is it that they were able to build on such a scale in Nova Scotia when so many others perished in the first year? Why has this been so long ignored?
Credit must be given to the book designers. The well selected maps and charts appear exactly where they should. It's rather mundane to comment on the type, but the type and layout, which added printing costs for sure, were easy on the eyes.
The author is a passionate amateur with good reason for his passion. He has made an incredible find, even more incredible for its having laid undiscovered in modern times.
Besides his clear and convincing text, he presents aerial photos which demonstrate the dimensions of this forgotten area and photos of the lore of the Mi'kmaqs which demonstrate a Chinese influence.
Chiasson has laid out the challenge and the ball is now in the court of the archaeologists. What is this discovery? Did the Chinese build these structures as Chiasson poses? If so, why is it that they were able to build on such a scale in Nova Scotia when so many others perished in the first year? Why has this been so long ignored?
Credit must be given to the book designers. The well selected maps and charts appear exactly where they should. It's rather mundane to comment on the type, but the type and layout, which added printing costs for sure, were easy on the eyes.
July 7, 2015
I saw a documentary about the theory presented in this book, and was intrigued enough to read it.
The author believes that Cape Breton Island was home to a pre-Columbian Chinese colony.
Chiasson presents evidence in the form of maps, legends, aerial photographs, and linguistic/cultural similarities between the local Micmac and the Chinese. He's convinced me that, at the very least, it isn't impossible.
Much of the book is taken up with stories about his personal struggles and family life. While entertaining, it's not what I expected, or wanted, to be reading. I was left feeling like there wasn't enough about his theory to fill a whole book, so he had to pad it out a bit.
Unfortunately, according to the documentary, Canadian archaeologists believe the ruins identified by Chiasson to be natural formations, and so have declined to investigate. Chinese archaeologists, relying on photographs, believe they could be ruins, but have not (as of the time of the documentary) made the trip to Canada to study them. So, there remains no proof one way or the other. I would be interested to know if/when there is an archaeological dig.
It has inspired me to read "1421: The Year China Discovered the World," by Gavin Menzies, which Chiasson cites often. Review to follow.
The author believes that Cape Breton Island was home to a pre-Columbian Chinese colony.
Chiasson presents evidence in the form of maps, legends, aerial photographs, and linguistic/cultural similarities between the local Micmac and the Chinese. He's convinced me that, at the very least, it isn't impossible.
Much of the book is taken up with stories about his personal struggles and family life. While entertaining, it's not what I expected, or wanted, to be reading. I was left feeling like there wasn't enough about his theory to fill a whole book, so he had to pad it out a bit.
Unfortunately, according to the documentary, Canadian archaeologists believe the ruins identified by Chiasson to be natural formations, and so have declined to investigate. Chinese archaeologists, relying on photographs, believe they could be ruins, but have not (as of the time of the documentary) made the trip to Canada to study them. So, there remains no proof one way or the other. I would be interested to know if/when there is an archaeological dig.
It has inspired me to read "1421: The Year China Discovered the World," by Gavin Menzies, which Chiasson cites often. Review to follow.
May 15, 2010
I have read Gavin Menzies book 1421 and was very interested to read this book. I was disappointed. The book spends most of its pages reviewing existing historical information about early European visitors to the Cape Breton area. The conclusion of this more or less comprehensive review is to observe that no reference was made to a set of ruins in Cape Breton.
No evidence of what the ruins were. Therefore, in a giant leap, the author concludes that the ruins are Chinese. He then draws on and involves Menzies to try to support why this leap is reasonable. There are some grainy, blotchy photos that purport to show proof but are hardly easy to interpret or conclusive.
He also tries to make a comparison of the Micmac to the Chinese in terms of dress and writing. The same writing has other theories of origin such as Eygptian or early European runes. The dress comparison it equally flimsy in its connection comparing more recent dress with historic Chinese garb.
In my mind, the jury is still out and these ruins, if they are in fact ruins, need a real analysis. This book is not it.
No evidence of what the ruins were. Therefore, in a giant leap, the author concludes that the ruins are Chinese. He then draws on and involves Menzies to try to support why this leap is reasonable. There are some grainy, blotchy photos that purport to show proof but are hardly easy to interpret or conclusive.
He also tries to make a comparison of the Micmac to the Chinese in terms of dress and writing. The same writing has other theories of origin such as Eygptian or early European runes. The dress comparison it equally flimsy in its connection comparing more recent dress with historic Chinese garb.
In my mind, the jury is still out and these ruins, if they are in fact ruins, need a real analysis. This book is not it.
August 30, 2016
I'm a little surprised that I am giving this book as high a rating as I am. Mainly I'm doing that because the writing is quite good, the details of Cape Breton colonial history is intriguing, and the main thesis was intriguing.
Sadly, the main thesis is also pretty ludicrous. It's based entirely on piles of stones, some of which have straight edges, a handful of Mik'maq characters that look rather like Chinese characters, and Mik'maq clothing that has a resemblance to ethnic minorities in China (although China is not, nor ever was, the type to send minorities out of expeditions)
My biggest problem was the lack of anything even resembling proof. No Chinese documents that would indicate that they had an outpost and gold mine halfway around the world. No artifacts found at the site. Shouldn't there be some sort of trash found? A broken piece of pottery? Carving on a rock used to build with?
It was an interesting read, but I don't buy even the tiniest portion of his thesis.
Sadly, the main thesis is also pretty ludicrous. It's based entirely on piles of stones, some of which have straight edges, a handful of Mik'maq characters that look rather like Chinese characters, and Mik'maq clothing that has a resemblance to ethnic minorities in China (although China is not, nor ever was, the type to send minorities out of expeditions)
My biggest problem was the lack of anything even resembling proof. No Chinese documents that would indicate that they had an outpost and gold mine halfway around the world. No artifacts found at the site. Shouldn't there be some sort of trash found? A broken piece of pottery? Carving on a rock used to build with?
It was an interesting read, but I don't buy even the tiniest portion of his thesis.
June 8, 2009
I saw this book on a sale table during a local bookstore's last days. It seemed the perfect book for my father, assuming the author wasn't a crackpot. I took the chance and it turned out well.
Paul Chiasson tells the very personal story of his search to discover the origins of ruins he found near his parents' house in Cape Breton. After exhausting the early European records, he comes to the conclusion that the Chinese must have settled the island in the early 1400's. Extremely carefully researched, this book is laid out clearly to eliminate other possibilities and build evidence before drawing its conclusion. I felt it ended a bit abruptly and would like to find out if any follow-up research has been conducted in the area.
Paul Chiasson tells the very personal story of his search to discover the origins of ruins he found near his parents' house in Cape Breton. After exhausting the early European records, he comes to the conclusion that the Chinese must have settled the island in the early 1400's. Extremely carefully researched, this book is laid out clearly to eliminate other possibilities and build evidence before drawing its conclusion. I felt it ended a bit abruptly and would like to find out if any follow-up research has been conducted in the area.
January 17, 2009
Chiasson's hypothesis is intriguing, connecting the legend of the seven cities of Cibola with the Chinese fleet. That being said, I grew tired of what appeared to be his continual defense of his research and theories. I kept asking myself, if he found ruins and an obvious site, why didn't he have someone digging for artifacts to link the inhabitants of New Breton with the builders of the site? Hopefully some accredited archeologists will start a dig and make some connections. In the meantime, Chiasson should do a Joe Friday and "stick to the facts" without trying to be so much part of the story.
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May 28, 2013I've tried getting through this book several times over the last 6 years, and I just can't do it. Gavin Menzies sounds like one of the sweetest people you'd ever want to meet, however, he really draws the early part of the book out with irrelevant details that read more like a note to a friend than a serious account of archaeological and historical discovery. Not that I would rather read a stuffy, overly-technical dissertation, but there is a happy medium. It's hard to take him seriously when what you're reading sounds more like a personal blog post than anything else. My copy is headed to 1/2 Price Books.
December 15, 2015
What an excellent book, especially for a history buff! Well researched, well thought out, and it reads like a fast paced adventure who-done-it. The history of a Chinese presence in pre-Columbian New World, is only very recently being speculated on, and this authors own efforts to make sense of some local ruins from where he grew up on Cape Breton Island might very well be proof of that conjecture. He's living a history buffs dream. Even if it doesn't pan out fully (he bluntly says this is only the end of the beginning) awaiting the results of the arceological digs will be eagerly watched for.
December 22, 2008
Pretty good. It's the author's personal story about how he came to believe an area near his hometown is the ruins from an ancient chinese society. It takes half the book before he even starts talking about the chinese though, which was a little weird to me, but since he didn't think they were involved until that point in the book, I guess it makes sense. But for as much as I liked the book, it put me to sleep almost everytime that I tried to read it. Guess I'm not used to reading non-fiction...
May 4, 2009
The subtitle of the book was too intriguing to pass up. It was a really quick read, however, I was annoyed when the writer would summarize all of his research while rehashing conversations with people. It seemed like this might have been a better magazine article, or something. I felt like the last few chapters were going to bring about a greater conclusion. You could have read the last 2-3 chapters to see how he strung his theories together and just skipped all of his laborious research on the area's history, even though it was interesting.
January 4, 2011
According to the author, the Chinese 'discovered' and settled in North America (in Cape Breton, no less) in the early fifteenth century.
You're kidding, right?
While the writing is good enough, the logic is deeply flawed by wild-ass leaps and assumptions. I can't believe the library catalogued it under 971 (general geography and history of north america) rather than CHIASSON (fiction). On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be a Dewey Decimal category for "I have this theory with no basis in reality...".
You're kidding, right?
While the writing is good enough, the logic is deeply flawed by wild-ass leaps and assumptions. I can't believe the library catalogued it under 971 (general geography and history of north america) rather than CHIASSON (fiction). On the other hand, there doesn't seem to be a Dewey Decimal category for "I have this theory with no basis in reality...".
April 13, 2009
I'm not sure I believe every premise in this book, but it was very well written and intriguing. I'd like to see what the archaeologists uncover when they start digging up the site, as I'm the type of girl that needs to SEE the proof. This may have already happened since the book was published a few years ago. I'm interested enough that I may do some research to find out what has happened since then.
September 10, 2011
This book combines speculative history and archaeology with a personal healing narrative, leaving the reader intrigued by the possibility of a major rewriting of much of what we understand about the settlement of North America, the accomplishments of the Chinese, and the interactions and influences of foreigners with the native population. At the same time, one can't help but suspect that the work is intended as speculative historical fiction.
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