Juan Ponce de Leon: And the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico and Florida [Hardcover]

Robert Henderson Fuson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2000

Juan Ponce de Leon was an important figure in the history of the Spanish colonisation of what are today Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the south-eastern United States. While many people are familiar with the name Ponce de Leon, only a handful know the historical truth of what Ponce did -- and did not -- do! This is the most extensive biography to date of this important but misrepresented figure in the early colonial history of America. Written by one of America's foremost experts on 15th and 16th century exploration and discovery, this book dispels the myths about Ponce de Leon and credits him with discoveries for which he previously has not been credited. The author assembles the most extensive collection ever of facts, reasoned inference, translations of critical documents, original maps, historical illustrations, and photographs bearing upon the life and legacy of this important figure. Ponce's life and legacy are examined in the context of Spain's ambitions in the New World during the 16th century.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Most fourth graders learn that Juan Ponce de Le"n was looking for the Fountain of Youth when he discovered Florida in 1513. Ponce de Le"n, a member of the Spanish upper class, sailed with Columbus on his second expedition and became a prosperous farmer on Hispaniola and later governor of Puerto Rico. In 1516, he was searching for a rumored island west of Cuba called Bimini when he instead came upon the peninsula of Florida, which he explored in two expeditions but never colonized. He was the first European to discover the value of the Gulf Stream, which was so vital to the Atlantic crossings. Ponce de Le"n was killed by Indians near Tampa in 1521. He found no gold and founded no colonies, and his explorations were overshadowed by the achievements of Cortes and Pizzaro in Mexico and Peru, respectively. Fuson, a historical geographer at the University of South Florida, demonstrates that Ponce de Le"n was an honest, deliberate, and rational man at a time when abuse, greed, and treachery often prevailed. The author has brought together an extensive collection of facts, original documents, maps, and illustrations bearing on the life and legacy of this important figure. A beautifully written and well-illustrated work that should be in all public and academic libraries.DStanley L. Itkin, Hillside P.L., New Hyde Park, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ponce de Leon has been held up frequently as an object of ridicule for his quest for the Fountain of Youth. Fuson, a historical geographer and professor emeritus at the University of Southern Florida, successfully attempts to provide a more balanced portrait of a largely effective explorer and administrator. This is a sober, well-documented biography that reveals Ponce de Leon as a serious servant of Spain and a solid professional soldier. Fuson deftly places his subject within the historical context of both sixteenth-century Spain and the New World. Unlike other conquistadores, he was not obsessed with the search for gold. Although he was no proponent of religious or racial equality, his expeditions were notable for the relatively humane treatment of the Native Americans they encountered. Fuson has written a useful and informative work that dispels many of the myths surrounding an interesting and surprisingly admirable man. Jay Freeman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 284 pages
• Publisher: McDonald and Woodward Publishing Company (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 093992384X
• ISBN-13: 978-0939923847
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,223,404 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!!! A+++++++++, April 21, 2003

By 

Linda (saddle river, nj United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Juan Ponce de Leon: And the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico and Florida (Hardcover)

I had a history report on Ponce de Leon and this book covered every question and topic I had. The content is very detailed, but too complex for children under 11.

3.0 out of 5 stars Informative, January 26, 2011

By 

Freyja's Books (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Juan Ponce de Leon: And the Spanish Discovery of Puerto Rico and Florida (Hardcover)

This book is very useful for information regarding Juan Ponce de Leon, particularly because it has primary source documents contained within it that are reportedly not found anywhere else translated into English. For that reason alone, this book would be necessary for research about Spanish North America. The author also does a good job relating the specific details about the voyages of Ponce and others to Florida in the first half of the sixteenth century.

I only give this book 3 stars because it is a rather disorganized read that stretches events with relatively unknown facts about them into long stories. Most of the book, excluding the primary source documents, are just saying "we don't really know what happened" with the author giving his hypotheses. This includes the locations that Ponce landed in Florida, when his expeditions were attacked both times, and what month he died.

All in all, there is more that we don't know about Ponce and early Florida than what we do have records of. This is definitely the book to go for for a compilation of all known information on those subjects, though.