Magellan [Paperback]

Tim Joyner (Author), William Manchester (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 19, 1994

"In this stirring account of an epic voyage beset by shipwreck, desertions, scurvy, and hunger, (Magellan) emerges as an all-too-human hero who tested the limits of the possible."--"Publishers Weekly."

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Magellan is one of the great figures of the modern age. His achievement--the first circumnavigation of the globe--was "the terminal event of the European Renaissance," asserts Joyner. Only an uncommonly determined man could have persevered in an extended journey into this unknown. "In 1520 less was known about the Pacific Ocean than we know today of interstellar space." When he was slaugh altered by South Sea Islanders, his chronicler lamented, "They killed our mirror, our light, our comfort, and our true guide." This book provides a solid account of the explorer's life and accomplishment. Joyner reminds us how the voyage felt to the men who lived through it; success was dubious and distant, perils and discomforts were felt daily. Exceptionally well written, this is the first biography of the explorer to appear in more than two decades. Recommended for both public and academic libraries.
- David Keymer, SUNY Inst. of Technology, Utica
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

A straightforward but tepid biography from fisheries biologist Joyner of the great visionary Magellan, whose resolve to reach the Spice Islands by sailing around the lands encountered by Columbus and others prompted the first circumnavigation of the globe. Joyner begins with an overview of the history of seafaring and of Portuguese exploration of sea routes to India. Magellan, member of a rural branch of the Portuguese royal family, emerges from obscurity in the midst of the struggle in the Indian Ocean over control of the spice trade, proving himself a brave and resourceful fighter. But his less endearing demands for greater recognition earn him King Manuel's enmity, forcing him to cut his ties to Portugal in order to try his luck in Spain. With powerful backing, Magellan finds King Charles more receptive to his plans to open a spice route to the West, and in September 1519 five ships set sail under his command. Dissension plagues the voyage almost from the start, but Magellan carries on even with a fleet reduced by mutiny, reaching the Pacific through the icy waters of the strait now bearing his name. After he arrives in the Philippines, his achievements cloud his judgment to such a degree that he is killed in 1521 while leading a pointless assault on the village of a rebellious chief. His crew continues on, arriving back in Spain, emaciated and cramped into one remaining ship with a cargo of spices, three full years after setting out. Research includes original documents and subsequent narratives of the voyage, as well as the author's firsthand experiences along the coast of southern South America, but Joyner proves unequal to the task of conveying either the spirit of this momentous event or of the remarkable man behind it. (Ninety illustrations.) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: International Marine Publishing; First Edition, First Printing edition (September 19, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070331286
• ISBN-13: 978-0070331280
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,833,275 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book, well-researched, easy-to-read, May 4, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Magellan (Paperback)

The Kirkus Review above did not give Joyner's book justice. I've read many books on Magellan by authors such as Parr, Cameron, Hawthorne, Hildebrand, Zweig, and Silverberg, and Joyner's book provided the intricate detail that I was looking for. Joyner returned to the original sources to provide such details as the ships' rosters --- crewmembers' names, where from, job aboard, salary, etc. --- mini-biographies of key players, lists of supplies, weaponry, etc. It's far more than a biography! In reference to the book not conveying the full impact of Magellan's personality nor of the voyage, I didn't find that to be true. So many biographies of Magellan read almost as fiction, to such an extent that you can't separate fact from fiction, that it was refreshing to have a factual account, interesting, easily read and absorbed. Well done, Joyner.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reads like a novel, May 20, 2001

By 

Stosh (Ashburn, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magellan (Paperback)

When I read this book I thought I could be reading a novel, not a historical account. It is fast paced and exciting history. Whether or not you are familiar with Magellan and his first ever global circumnavigation, this is a must read for anyone interested in nautical exploration.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Sailing Voyage Ever!, December 8, 1999

By 

Pat Cassidy (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Magellan (Hardcover)

It has been a few years since I read Joyner's Magellan. It is well researched and is a very good read. I have lent the book to several nautical buffs who also enjoyed the book very much.

Of the several Magellan biographies I have read, I enjoyed this one the most.

I don't think the Kirkus review folks (above) could find the Straits of Magellan on a chart!