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Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe (P.S.) | 
 enlarge | Author: Laurence Bergreen
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $3.99
You Save: $11.96 (75%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  111 reviews
Sales Rank: 18376
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 512
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 1.3
ISBN: 006093638X
Dewey Decimal Number: 910.92
EAN: 9780060936389
ASIN: 006093638X
Publication Date: November 1, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Ferdinand Magellan's daring circumnavigation of the globe in the sixteenth century was a three-year odyssey filled with sex, violence, and amazing adventure. Now in Over the Edge of the World, prize-winning biographer and journalist Laurence Bergreen entwines a variety of candid, firsthand accounts, bringing to life this groundbreaking and majestic tale of discovery that changed both the way explorers would henceforth navigate the oceans and history itself.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 106 more reviews...
 Enjoyable read but cites "1421: The Year China Discovered America" July 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I really enjoyed this book, but then I discovered something that brings its credibility into question. While reading it, I was intrigued by references to "1421: The Year China Discovered America," by Gavin Menzies. I started reading "1421" next and quickly realized that no serious scholar would take such a book seriously.
 One of the better bios I've read recently July 1, 2008
I'm on an explorer kick these days, so I've read a lot of bios of them. (Check my list, "Books About Explorers," for more recommendations.) This is (narrowly) my favorite of the lot. Bergreen's a terrific writer, and Magellan's voyage never lacked for drama. It's carefully researched and fun to read.
 Magellan - a slow boat from China? June 27, 2008
Bergreen weaves together standard primary sources (logs and diaries from a couple of key shipmates that have been preserved and cited many times) with secondary sources in a way to make this oft-told tale seem fresh. Magellan's trip around the world was a triumph and a tragedy, a triumphant success because of his leadership and strength of character, and a tragedy he did not survive due to (as well) to his character.
Bergreen mentions the recent theory (in 1421: The Year China Discovered America --see my review ) that Magellan was following in the footsteps of the ancient Chinese "Treasure Ships" in sailing through the Strait, but does not come down decisively on the side of the theory. However, some of Magellan's actions described in Bergreen's book as he was searching for the strait make sense only if in fact Magellan knew what he was looking for based on a map or reports from a previous visit.
Around the world in 1000 days June 17, 2008
In the old, elementary school version of history, Columbus discovered the New World. Of course, it wasn't really that simple: the Americas were occupied long before Columbus's voyage, and even among Europeans, the Vikings most likely preceded him. Similarly, it could be considered politically incorrect to state Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean or DeSoto the Mississippi River. Depending on your point-of-view, these things are arguable, but an accomplishment that is beyond dispute is Magellan's circumnavigation of the globe: no one had completed such a journey before.
Laurence Bergreen's Over the Edge of the World chronicles that voyage, one of the most difficult in all of history. In fact, of the hundreds of men and five ships that set out from Spain in 1519, less than 10% of the men and only one ship would complete the journey. Among the casualties would be Magellan himself, though his leadership does merit having his name attached to this landmark expedition.
The book starts with the preparation for the journey, which was by no means a certain thing. Magellan, who had left Portugal for Spain, was not well-regarded among many Spaniards, which would be a continued threat to his leadership and reputation. In the field of exploration and overseas trade, Portugal and Spain were the big players and typically rivals, and this competition would continue onto Magellan's Armada de Moluccas.
The Armada was tasked with finding a western route to the Spice Islands in East Asia. For much of this journey, Magellan would be in unknown territory, with no area more difficult to find and navigate than the straits below South America that would later bear his name. Along the way, Magellan would need to contend with mutinies, constant supply shortages and natives who were often friendly but sometimes dangerous.
Bergreen portrays Magellan as a man with lots of drive, intelligent and with a flair for leadership. On the other hand, he is often cruel, both to his crew and to the many people he would encounter. Eventually, his cruelties would have fatal consequences. To some extent, the hero of Bergreen's book is actually Antonio Pigafetta, whose journal about the voyage would be the best description of the expedition.
Bergreen's book is constantly engaging, history told with a narrative flair that keeps things moving. It is essentially a true life adventure story and in the hands of a good author, you can rarely go wrong with such a story. Bergreen is that good author and Over the Edge of the World is a great book.
The 3 Best Things about Over the Edge of the World (a video review) June 12, 2008
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R37QTFHLP5S3O This is a 4-minute video review of the paperback version of Over the Edge of the World in which I discuss my 3 favorite things about the book. I don't summarize events or facts in the book itself.
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