Overview

The astonishing tale of the first sea voyage to circumnavigate the entire globe. Magellan’s dramatic maritime expedition in 1519 discovered the straits that enabled Europe to trade with the Eastern spice islands and changed the course of history. In an era of intense commercial rivalry between Spain and Portugal, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator sailed to explore the undiscovered parts of the world and claim them for the Spanish crown in one of the largest and best-equipped expeditions ever mounted in the Age of Discovery. Yet of the fleet of five vessels under his command, only Victoria was to return to Spain after three harrowing years, her captain murdered, more than two hundred of her sailors dead from scurvy, torture, execution and drowning, and a small, ravaged crew that survived to tell the extraordinarily dramatic story. What emerged was a tale of mutiny, of orgies on distant shores, of claims of cannibalism, of death and disease, of missionary zeal and base cruelty, and of incredible discoveries: the earth was indeed round, the Americas were not part of India, the earth was covered mainly by oceans, and a new route that allowed Europe access to the fantastic wealth of the Eastern spice islands. Indeed, despite the devastating loss of life and vessels, the Victoria sailed back laden with enough cloves and other spices for the expedition to be considered a remarkable financial success. Accomplished despite the fact that European mariners were exploring a world that was unmapped and misunderstood, where superstition held sway and there were real fears that you could literally sail over the edge of the world, that sea monsters lurked in the briny depths, or that if you passed the equator, the ocean would boil and scald you to death, this was a truly spectacular achievement. The shockingly explicit diaries of Antonio Pigafetta reveal much of the story. This is a many-layered book – a voyage into history, a tour of the world as it was emerging from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance, an anthropological account of exotic tribes and a chronicle of a desperate grab for political and commercial power. It is also a gripping adventure story, compelling and full of suspense and drama.

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9780007198559

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Reviews

'A superb real-life thriller.' New York Times 'The gripping story of a 60,000-mile ocean voyage!by turns sorrowful, violent, and promiscuous!' Los Angeles Times 'A vivid account of Magellan's starcrossed voyage.' Kirkus Reviews 'Illuminating the age of discovery, Bergreen writes this powerful tale of adventure with a strong presence and rich detail.' Publishers' Weekly 'Mr. Bergreen delivers torture, suffering, starvation and bloody frays with almost loving zeal.' Washington Times 'Prodigious research, sure-footed prose and vivid descriptions make for a thoroughly satisfying account!it is all here in the wondrous detail, a first-rate historical page turner.' New York Times Book Review

OVER THE EDGE OF THE WORLD is garnering fantastic pre-publication praise: 'Journalist Bergreen... superbly recreates Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan's obsessive 16th-century quest, an ill-fated journey that altered Europe's perception of the planet... Illuminating the Age of Discovery, Bergreen writes this powerful tale of adventure with a strong presence and rich detail.' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY 'A vivid account of Magellan's star-crossed voyage around the world nearly five centuries ago...Very nicely written through and through, and a pleasure for students of world exploration.' KIRKUS REVIEWS 'A cracking good tale.' LIBRARY JOURNAL

When Ferdinand Magellan set out to sail around the world in 1519 he was warned of certain disaster. Some said he would sail into Hell, others that he would die in a boiling sea. Disaster did indeed follow Magellan's fleet of five ships. Four of them were lost, along with hundreds of men, before a lone vessel returned. This penetrating book tells of the immense hardships faced by those first circumnavigators - hardships imposed not only by the elements but also by sadistic officers who thought nothing of ordering torture and executions. Bergreen's account reveals all about life afloat in the 16th century. (Kirkus UK)

Author Information

Laurence Bergreen is the author of the highly acclaimed biographies Capone: The Man and his Era, As Thousands Cheer: The Life of Irving Berlin, James Agee: A Life and Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life.

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