Review: The Voyagers, Being Legends & Histories of Atlantic Discovery (Padraic Colum)

[justice_turtle]

Summary: In the first half of the book, Prince Henry the Navigator gathers learned men and explorers to discuss the possibility of land across the ocean at a great banquet. We hear four main stories - Atlantis, Maelduin (I never heard of him before), St Brendan, and Leif Ericson. The second half of the book focuses mainly on Columbus, with a chapter on Ponce de Leon, one on the exploration of Virginia by the English, and an epilogue in which a young Martin Waldseemuller meets Amerigo Vespucci.

Reaction: Well, it's a good thing he titled it Legends And Histories. Given that qualification - it's a good book. Not quite up to Golden Fleece standards; it suffers a lot more from "then this happened, then that happened!", which I think is partly because the bits I recognize are very close translations of the original tales. The Leif Ericson chapter, especially, is just about as detailed (in a Padraic Colum writing style) as the translated-into-prose Vinland sagas that I read a few years back!

It is not entirely historical - not that I quite expected it to be. ;-) The Ponce de Leon chapter, of all things, was the one where I kept having to tell myself "it's a fairy-tale, sit back", because it's a lot more fantastical than some of the other chapters for the same time-period.

Conclusion: Four stars. I'd give it five, but by sticking so closely to the original European sources he chose, he very firmly sidesteps any questions about Spanish or English treatment of the First Nations peoples in the Americas. *frowny face* I'd like to be clear, he does try very hard to paint the First Nations people in a good light, and even gives some of their own names for places (as Guanahani for San Salvador / Watling Island) - but he also does not cast ANY shadows on Columbus and his ilk. For which I judge him. *judgey judge judge* *ilk ilk ilk* ;-)

Comments

[bookblather]

Ilk is such a fun word. Also, I'm going to spend all of Monday judging Columbus. Would you like to join me?

[justice_turtle]

Good grief, is it Columbus Day weekend already? I wondered why I was having a holiday for Canadian Thanksgiving. ;P

(I really did wonder.)

JUDGEY JUDGE JUDGE. :D Yay, let's all judge Columbus! AND HIS ILK. But not his elk. I don't think Columbus had an elk. ;-)

*should definitely go to bed*

[bookblather]

It is already! I was astonished too, but I had to reschedule my Monday hours at the library 'cause they're closed Monday. Go figure.

Columbus might have had an elk! There are elk in Europe. I think maybe some in Spain even. I'm going to judge his elk BECAUSE I WANNA.

*should probably go to bed too*

[pedanther]

According to Wikipedia, there are parts of the world where Judging Columbus and His Ilk is actually the officially correct way to mark the anniversary - in Argentina it's celebrated as Respect For Cultural Diversity Day, and in Venezuela as Indigenous Resistance Day.

[justice_turtle]

Ooh, awesome. (Indigenous Resistance Day - I love that.) I never would have thought to google that! *reads article*

...Hawaii celebrates "Discoverers' Day" at the same time of year, for the Polynesians who discovered Hawaii; South Dakota celebrates "Native American Day"; and the city of Berkeley, CA celebrates "Indigenous Peoples Day".

(This last amuses me just because I didn't think of it ahead of time. OF COURSE Berkeley is one of the places where Judging Columbus is the proper way to celebrate.)

And Columbus Day was originally inspired by a "stop judging Italian immigrants, YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE" attitude. Shame that didn't stick. (Given the political climate around here... well, I know it'd probably be better / more educational to tell people why Columbus Day is offensive to Native Americans, like a part-Native guy in my speech class did at school last year, but there are certain people to whom I just want to say "Happy Immigrant Appreciation Day!" a lot and make them think.)

*appropriate random icon is appropriate. Ish.*