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From Publishers Weekly
A former submarine commander in Britain's Royal Navy, Menzies must enjoy doing battle. The amateur historian's lightly footnoted, heavily speculative re-creation of little-known voyages made by Chinese ships in the early 1400s goes far beyond what most experts in and outside of China are willing to assert and will surely set tongues wagging. According to Menzies's brazen but dull account of the Middle Kingdom's exploits at sea, Magellan, Dias, da Gama, Cabral and Cook only "discovered" lands the Chinese had already visited, and they sailed with maps drawn from Chinese charts. Menzies alleges that the Chinese not only discovered America, but also established colonies here long before Columbus set out to sea. Because China burned the records of its historic expeditions led by Zheng He, the famed eunuch admiral and the focus of this account, Menzies is forced to defend his argument by compiling a tedious package of circumstantial evidence that ranges from reasonable to ridiculous. While the book does contain some compelling claims-for example, that the Chinese were able to calculate longitude long before Western explorers-drawn from Menzies's experiences at sea, his overall credibility is undermined by dubious research methods. In just one instance, when confounded by the derivation of cryptic words on a Venetian map, Menzies first consults an expert at crossword puzzles rather than an etymologist. Such an approach to scholarship, along with a promise of more proof to come in the paperback edition, casts a shadow of doubt over Menzies's discoveries. 32 pages of color illus., 27 maps and diagrams. Book-of-the-Month Club alternate.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Menzies makes the fascinating argument that the Chinese discovered the Americas a full 70 years before Columbus. Not only did the Chinese discover America first, but they also, according to the author, established a number of subsequently lost colonies in the Caribbean. Furthermore, he asserts that the Chinese circumnavigated the globe, desalinated water, and perfected the art of cartography. In fact, he believes that most of the renowned European explorers actually sailed with maps charted by the Chinese. Though most historical records were destroyed during centuries of turmoil in the Far East, he manages to cobble together some feasible evidence supporting his controversial conclusions. Sure to cause a stir among historians, this questionable tale of adventure on the high seas will be hotly debated in academic circles. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Written like a story, Read it like a story,
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This review is from: 1421: The Year China Discovered America (Paperback)
I heard a lot about this book and the rave it came with. It is an interesting theory but I am skeptical with the validity of some of the claims - the smallest artefact leads to "irrefutable" hypotheses which are entertaining maybe, but tiresome after reading so many wild claims down to the minute detail. Read it to prod thought...
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Year China Discovered America, The Year China Discovered the World, and 1434,
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This review is from: 1421: The Year China Discovered America (Hardcover)
These "used" books arrived on my doorstep in near perfect condition and at a quarter of the price of 'new" books. I have read these books before, having taken them out on loan from my local library, but I wanted these particular books for my own library. What a wonderful way to own books, and especially when their condition is near perfect. Thank you, I am so happy with my purchases and I will continue to do business with you.
1 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Astounding!,
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This review is from: 1421: The Year China Discovered America (Paperback)
If you have an open mind and want to shown that true world history is not that which has been taught in schools for centuries - read this book! You'll be mesmerized to learn that it was NOT the Europeans that discovered the "New World" - all they did was exploit it!
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