The Great Age of Exploration

Aldus encyclopedia of discovery and exploration #3

by Duncan Castlereagh

Encyclopedia of discovery and exploration, 3

Genres: History, Nonfiction

191 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1971

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

And so on to my next instalment - and headlong in to clashes or nostalgia with my school days.

During my school days I will admit that history was not my strong point either academically or as an interest to me (I think at the time it would be more colourfully put) but as a result I am now struggling to make amends especially since I have had a chance to travel myself. In so doing I realise how woefully ignorant I am of the world around me - dont get my wrong I would love to bury myself in a good novel but I feel that I have to address my failings at some point.

So what such a strong and vivid reaction to this book especially. Well I had as a class project to research a famous explorer and yes you guessed it - in an age before the internet I had to rely on books and this one especially from my father collection featured very heavily

So it was a rather strange mix of deja-vous on the various articles, guilt at how little I paid attention and yes a fair measure of shock on how much I didnt realise I had picked up in the mean time.

So what of the book - well we are now moving in to the more famous and well documented era and as as result my store of half facts and questionable knowledge is starting to get addressed.

[Ashwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise history of the Portuguese and Spanish explorers of the 15th and early 16th century. The maps are quite helpful in grasping the progression of exploration. Broadly, the book chronicles the quest for discovering the sea route to India, and the accidental discovery of America. Stories of Columbus and Magellan are mentioned in more detail, along with Portuguese expeditions to Africa and thence to India and south east Asia. Historical paintings, early maps, and colourful photographs are enlightening. As are the letters and articles mentioned in appendix. To summarise, the book makes up for an interesting read, and a good addition to the collection!

[Thalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little gem I found in a charity shop. It's a few decades old now so I'm sure some of the information is outdated, but it set my imagination alight with all the exploration stories, and some amazing prints of early maps when mapmaking was still a young art form and photos of old navigation tools, including beautifully decorated compasses, and sand timers.

[Syed Muhammad Hamza · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fun reading a book that gives you information on how the Portuguese and Spanish nations discovered the Asia and New World or America.
The one sided narrative has overshadowed the book which supports Kipling's " White man's burden" dogma, but still it has provided me with very useful knowledge.
I'll recommend this book to every history reader.

[Bill Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ripping Yarns of discovery.