Synopses & Reviews
Christopher Columbus' arrival on a small Bahamian island in 1492 is often judged to be a defining moment in the history of mankind, changing forever the map of the world. Kirkpatrick Sale offers readers a unique take on Columbus and his legacy, separating the man from the legend. Sale also looks at the global consequences of the discovery, revealing the colossal impact this brief moment in history had not only on a continent but also on the world. Now with a new introduction by Sale, this classic book is being re-issued for the 500th aniversary of Columbus' death in the heart of Castille.
Review
"This wide-angled history represents a major rethinking of the relationship between Europe and America."--
Publishers Weekly"In the flood of new Columbus scholarship, this certainly merits a place on all libraries' shelves."
--Library Journal"This is a work of haunting attraction, of splendid magnitude, illuminating scholarship and compelling strength and imagination...I am filled with admiration."--Joseph Heller
"At once magnificent and important."--Financial Times
"To Sale's credit, he preserves for the reader the aura of mystery with which Columbus shrouded himself. By so doing, he has given us a fascinating account of the life and times of the man with whom, as Sale nicely puts it, the modern world begins."--Ron Grossman, Tribune
"In Kirkpatrick Sale's eloquent and passionate treatment, Columbus and the Columbian legacy become a paradigm for the ruthless expansion of Western Europeans overseas. Sale's examination of Columbus has a hard-minded quality that cuts through much obfuscation and legend--Sale has written a work of considerable virtues."--American Historical Review
About the Author
Kirkpatrick Sale is the author of twelve books, and is a contributing editor for
The Nation. He lives in Cold Spring, NY.
Table of Contents
Prologue * 1492 (I) * Europe (I) "The End of the World is Near" * 1492 (II) * Europe (II) "The Earth Shall Quake Before Them" * 1492-93 * 1493-94 * 1495-1500 * 1500-06 * 1506-1606 (I) The Columbia Legacy * 1506-1606 (II) England * 1607-25 (I) Jamestown * 1607-25 (II) Powhatans and Others * 1625-1992 Columbus/ Columbia * Epilogue * Acknowledgements * Notes * Source Notes * Index