Overview

""Going round the world"" is an idea that has excited people ever since it was realized that the earth was a sphere. The appeal has something to do with encompassing all the known environment and exploring the unknown, not only on the surface of the planet but within the spirit of the explorer. The story of circumnavigation is thus a long saga of human adventure, travel and discovery. Beginning with the fateful day in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan was speared to death on Mactan and Juan de Elcano took up the challenge of bringing his surviving companions home, the story continues through four centuries crammed with astonishing exploits by men and women of many nations. Some of the names that feature are well-known, others less so.

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9781841197098

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Reviews

- 'The Circumnavigators makes a very readable introduction to what is still an adventure story.' J. S. Cummins, Times Literary Supplement - 'This is a very readable book which gives a good idea of the dangers and uncertainties faced by all the voyagers.' Geographical Journal - 'Armchair explorers will enjoy navigating the pages of Derek Wilson's excellent tale of man's attempts at circumnavigating the globe... The book is certainly crammed full of historical information but Wilson manages to bring his historical characters alive.' Outram Magazine

"""- 'The Circumnavigators makes a very readable introduction to what is still an adventure story.' J. S. Cummins, Times Literary Supplement - 'This is a very readable book which gives a good idea of the dangers and uncertainties faced by all the voyagers.' Geographical Journal - 'Armchair explorers will enjoy navigating the pages of Derek Wilson's excellent tale of man's attempts at circumnavigating the globe... The book is certainly crammed full of historical information but Wilson manages to bring his historical characters alive.' Outram Magazine"

A treat for anyone who loves adventures of the sea, this book is brimming with graphic first-hand accounts of the world's most remarkable voyages. Wilson focuses on pioneers who circumnavigated the globe, usually against immense odds. From their stories, and Wilson's spot-on analysis, you can almost taste the briny air and feel the spume on your face. Little wonder that this title won the King George's Fund for Sailors Best Book of the Sea Award. You might think that the first men to sail around the world would be greeted like conquering heroes on their return. But not for them the accolades reserved for today's space explorers. Instead, in 1522, 17 seamen traipsed into Seville 'more emaciated than any old worn-out hack horses'. Most people refused to believe their story of conquering the world - but that gallant band set in motion a culture of global exploration that lasted nearly 400 years. They were followed by further adventurers, some of them arrogant, others humble, some in search of treasure, others merely wanting to learn about the world. A number of them set sail because they were ordered to by land-hungry monarchs. The one thing they all had in common was a passion for keeping journals that detailed the minutiae of life on board ship and the many perils encountered both at sea and on land. Wilson draws extensively on these writings, some from well-known figures such as Magellan, Drake and Cook. Wilson's own writing is rich in imagery and as pacy as a thriller. As well as details of the explorations he gives accounts of the political repercussions. For instance, Spain and Portugal squabbled over which half of the world each of them 'owned' - then along came Britain to dispute that they owned any of it. There are also delightful tales of smug captains making landfall expecting to be greeted by naive savages, and finding instead that their 'hosts' were astute, scheming types who played one explorer off against the other. A brilliant book in its concept and telling, and a great addition to any library. (Kirkus UK)

Author Information

DEREK WILSON is a renowned Tudor historian. A graduate of Peterhouse, Cambridge, he has written over 50 critically acclaimed books including A Brief History of the Circumnavigators, and The Uncrowned Kings of England, as well as recent biographies of Charlemagne and Holbein. He is a writer and presenter for radio and television and is also the founder of the Cambridge History festival. He lives in North Devon. Visit his website: www.derekwilson.com

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