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Unknown Seas: How Vasco Da Gama Opened The East
Book by Watkins, Ronald
352 pages, Paperback
First published November 10, 2003
34 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Ronald Watkins
22 books11 followersRonald J. Watkins is the author of more than 30 books. He holds a BA in history and an MS in justice studies. Following his university studies, he first worked as a probation officer and presentencing investigator in the Superior Court. He is a former chief administrative law judge and was the assistant director of the Arizona Department of Insurance where he served as the state of Arizona's chief insurance fraud investigator.
His first book, High Crimes and Misdemeanors, was the well received account of the impeachment of Arizona's governor, Evan Mecham. Written just one year after events and based on hundreds of interviews with participants, it remains the definitive account of the last impeachment of an American governor.
His work as a probation officer influenced his early books. In only one capital case did he recommend execution. This led to his second book, Evil Intentions, a gripping account of murder. It was followed a few years later by Against Her Will, the story of the murder of Kelly Tinyes in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York.
The author played an instrumental role in establishing American caselaw to protect the rights of writers under the First Amendment. His struggle to protect his sources as he wrote Birthright, the saga of the Shoen family which founded and owned U-Haul International and of the then unsolved murder of Eva Shoen, received national media attention including an editorial in the Los Angeles Times, an appearance on NBC's PrimeTime! and was the subject of an episode of Under Scrutiny with Jane Wallace. Radio, television and newspapers across the country depicted and praised his steadfast refusal to name names.
In 1993, the United States Court of Appeals [Ninth Circuit] in Shoen v. Shoen, 5 Frd 1289 [9th Cir. 1993] issued a landmark decision on his behalf when the court held for the first time in United State's history that writers of non-fiction books have the same rights under the U.S. Constitution as newspaper reporters and can protect both confidential and non-confidential sources. When he refused to comply with the demands of a second subpoena in 1994 he was again found in contempt of court by a another Federal judge for refusing to disclose sources and this time was ordered imprisoned until he complied. A Federal arrest warrant was issued and U.S. Marshals searched his home looking for him. Twenty minutes prior to surrendering, and in a highly unusual ruling, the Ninth Circuit reversed itself and granted a stay. In Shoen v. Shoen, 48F 3d 412 [9th Cir.1995] the court subsequently ruled in the author's favor, adopting the four point balancing test used in most other Circuits.
These two rulings have been used many times since to spare writers from jail when extending confidentiality to sources and have entered the lexicon of the handful of court cases which safeguard the First Amendment. For his conduct the author was nominated for the 1993 PEN American Newman's Own First Amendment Award.
He is co-author of the Summit Murder Series, beginning with MURDER ON EVEREST. Before that his most recent book was UNKNOWN SEAS: How Vasco da Gama Opened the East, published in the United Kingdom by John Murray Publisher in late 2003. In 2004, he was nominated for The Mountbatten Maritime Prize in the United Kingdom. UNKNOWN SEAS was named 2005 Book of the Year by the Portuguese Tribune. In 2006, the book was released in Portuguese in Brazil and in Czech in the Czech Republic.
In addition to his own works, the author has served as ghost writer, collaborator or editor for more than a dozen other books.
He has previously lived in Portugal and now makes his home in South America.
His first book, High Crimes and Misdemeanors, was the well received account of the impeachment of Arizona's governor, Evan Mecham. Written just one year after events and based on hundreds of interviews with participants, it remains the definitive account of the last impeachment of an American governor.
His work as a probation officer influenced his early books. In only one capital case did he recommend execution. This led to his second book, Evil Intentions, a gripping account of murder. It was followed a few years later by Against Her Will, the story of the murder of Kelly Tinyes in Valley Stream, Long Island, New York.
The author played an instrumental role in establishing American caselaw to protect the rights of writers under the First Amendment. His struggle to protect his sources as he wrote Birthright, the saga of the Shoen family which founded and owned U-Haul International and of the then unsolved murder of Eva Shoen, received national media attention including an editorial in the Los Angeles Times, an appearance on NBC's PrimeTime! and was the subject of an episode of Under Scrutiny with Jane Wallace. Radio, television and newspapers across the country depicted and praised his steadfast refusal to name names.
In 1993, the United States Court of Appeals [Ninth Circuit] in Shoen v. Shoen, 5 Frd 1289 [9th Cir. 1993] issued a landmark decision on his behalf when the court held for the first time in United State's history that writers of non-fiction books have the same rights under the U.S. Constitution as newspaper reporters and can protect both confidential and non-confidential sources. When he refused to comply with the demands of a second subpoena in 1994 he was again found in contempt of court by a another Federal judge for refusing to disclose sources and this time was ordered imprisoned until he complied. A Federal arrest warrant was issued and U.S. Marshals searched his home looking for him. Twenty minutes prior to surrendering, and in a highly unusual ruling, the Ninth Circuit reversed itself and granted a stay. In Shoen v. Shoen, 48F 3d 412 [9th Cir.1995] the court subsequently ruled in the author's favor, adopting the four point balancing test used in most other Circuits.
These two rulings have been used many times since to spare writers from jail when extending confidentiality to sources and have entered the lexicon of the handful of court cases which safeguard the First Amendment. For his conduct the author was nominated for the 1993 PEN American Newman's Own First Amendment Award.
He is co-author of the Summit Murder Series, beginning with MURDER ON EVEREST. Before that his most recent book was UNKNOWN SEAS: How Vasco da Gama Opened the East, published in the United Kingdom by John Murray Publisher in late 2003. In 2004, he was nominated for The Mountbatten Maritime Prize in the United Kingdom. UNKNOWN SEAS was named 2005 Book of the Year by the Portuguese Tribune. In 2006, the book was released in Portuguese in Brazil and in Czech in the Czech Republic.
In addition to his own works, the author has served as ghost writer, collaborator or editor for more than a dozen other books.
He has previously lived in Portugal and now makes his home in South America.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 16, 2014
Takes a while to get into the meat of the story, as the first half of the book explains the background to Portuguese history and exploration, etc. Still interesting, but the actual story of Da Gama's journey to India and back is what makes this such a fun read, like a high sea adventure novel.
May 18, 2016
This book could use a better cover :-)
I found this book to be both informative and entertaining. I was reluctant to put it down when my schedule demanded and I resumed reading as quickly as I could. I enjoyed using a map to follow the progress of the journeys and consequently learned a lot about the locations described.
This book was a pleasant surprise.
I found this book to be both informative and entertaining. I was reluctant to put it down when my schedule demanded and I resumed reading as quickly as I could. I enjoyed using a map to follow the progress of the journeys and consequently learned a lot about the locations described.
This book was a pleasant surprise.
January 4, 2016
Lots of details about Portugal and the "discovery" of India.
August 28, 2016
A great story, well written. The author does a remarkable job of telling the compelling story of the the Portuguese exploration of Asia.
September 20, 2018
It really is amazing what the small country of Portugal accomplished in the 15th Century. The first European power to begin building a colonial empire, as they did so along the African coast and Brazil. Discovered eastern route to India and proceeded to conduct the first direct European maritime trade and diplomatic missions to China and Japan.
May 17, 2020
Great read
November 6, 2015
Great narrative. Really conveys the drama and cost of this extended Portuguese effort to find a sea route to India and the vast trading wealth to be found there. The spies, the rival land-route monopolists out for their blood. Not just Vasco Da Gama, but several generations of Portuguese men sailed along the African coast as they invented the navigational technology necessary.
February 8, 2016
Great story with documented research. A very detailed account. A Must Read for anyone interested in History. It is History but reads like a good novel. Full of information for me, that already knew quite a bit about the subject.
Great insight in turn of the century (xv) Europe and the world that was "known" then.
Great insight in turn of the century (xv) Europe and the world that was "known" then.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews