Customer Reviews

The Mapmaker's Wife: A True Tale of Love, Murder, and Survival in the Amazon

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Note to fellow reviewers: this is not a Sidney Sheldon novel. Whitaker uses the "true tale of love, murder and survival in the Amazon" as an excuse to delve deeply into the history of the study of the shape of the earth, socio-political conditions of the day (the 16th Century), and the motivations of the principles and their nations, leaving very few tangents un-investigated. While this may frustrate those readers expecting romance and intrigue, rest assured that this book is by no means boring. Instead, it is a thoroughly-researched window into the past where, by the time Whitaker finally gets around to the "survival" part of the story, the reader is deeply immersed in the mindset of the times, placing everything that happens into proper perspective.

A century after Galileo had been forced to publicly recant his heliocentric model of the solar system, Western Europe was engaged in frenzy of global exploration and scientific investigation. Explorers urgently needed better maps and navigational systems. Scientists were competing to accurately determine the shape of the Earth. Add in a little political intrigue and you have the subject of The Mapmaker's Wife: a 1735 French mapmaking expedition to Peru that lasted a decade.

The European Enlightenment was an extraordinary time for all intellectuals. France was the center of scientific research: Spain concentrated on exploring - and occupying - the new world. When French scientists suggested a journey to the Andes to measure the lines of latitude and longitude there and settle the question of the shape of the Earth, King Louis XV saw a chance to get information on the closely guarded Spanish empire.

Robert Whitaker has won acclaim for his scientific journalism and he brings all his skills to The Mapmaker's Wife. The real story of 18th century mapmaking is more exciting than any fiction and the characters involved are full of life. As part of his research for the book, the author traveled to South America. Although he doesn't mention his own travels in the book, the detailed descriptions of what travelers encountered could only have been written by someone who knew the region.

The mapmaker's wife only appears towards the end of the book. Isobel Godin was a Peruvian who had married one of the younger members of the mapmaking expedition. After waiting twenty years for him to return, she set out east across the Amazon jungle to find him. Her journey became one of the great survivor stories of the century and nicely complements the experiences of the French mapmakers in their journey west.

This is a well told account of exploration and scientific discovery in the Amazon during the 18th century. Most of the book is concerned with a team of French mapmakers' investigation to determine the exact size and shape of the Earth, which was a crucial scientific question of the day. The author has skillfully utilized both primary and secondary source material as well as his own knowledge and travels in South America to write an engaging history. The cultural, social and political backdrop of 18th century South America, within the context of European exploration and colonization, is well described. The mapmakers' explorations, mainly around the Amazon, are brought vividly to life, reflecting it seems the author's own experiences in this land, as well as his study of primary source material. The part of the story (reflected in the book title) concerning one of the mapmaker's wife's arduous journey to find her husband actually comprises only the last part of the book. In this regard, the book seems mistitled, which has been mentioned by other reviewers. One wonders if the book title was for marketing purposes, and if so, this is somewhat unfortunate. The book is beautifully illustrated with drawings of the exploration and other scenes of the times. A helpful list of characters and maps are also included. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy books on exploration, scientific discovery, and history of South American and European exploration.

A book well worth reading, but it may not be what you expect.

The title is a bit misleading as Jean Godin is not truly a mapmaker nor is the book mostly about his wife. The first half of this book is almost entirely about the French expedition to colonial Peru in the early 1700's, the politics and science behind it, and the different personalities which comprise it. I did find this reading enjoyable, but I became a little frustrated when each time the plot seemed to get rolling again, Whitaker would take 10 pages to explain the geography of Peru or the history of Spain. If you're science minded, like me, you'll get a good dose of history that you would not have otherwise chosen to read or learn.

The story, what there is of it, is adventurous and entertaining, especially for the outdoor enthusiast. The history, politics, geography, and bugs he talks about do truly add to the understanding of the fate of the characters. He has brought to life a story that has been handed down only as legend. Whitaker does his best to compile all the facts, but there are still some things about this tale that we will never know.

I also felt misled by the subtitle, "A True Tale of Love, Murder, and Survival in the Amazon." Though it was all of these, it was written more like a history book than a novel. So if you're looking for romance, you won't find it here. The facts are laid out one by one leaving you to make your own pictures as to what the people looked like or the dialogue they had.

One ironic note: for a book titled "The Mapmaker's Wife", the maps are rather simplistic. No scales, keys, north arrows, or even a list of maps in the contents. There is a list of maps in the index, however, along with other helpful information. The author also includes a list of characters and descriptions at the back which I referenced many times.

Hopefully, this information will give you a better idea of what to expect and make your reading of this legendary tale more enjoyable. It's well worth your time.

I feel that I must state that the title of the book is somewhat misleading. Over half of the book is not at all about Isabel, "The mapmaker's wife," but rather about the expedition that led her husband to Peru and what historical and scientific events led to that expedition. At times, this got a little tedious, because all along I was waiting for Isabel's story. Still, the recounting of what these men accomplished for the scientific community is simply astonishing, and when Isabel's story is finally reached, it is as compelling and incredible as promised. She was a remarkable woman, accomplishing what many people could not do, even today. Overall, the book is an interesting and informative read about a little-known (at least to me), and yet important, expedition. Good for those who like history; may be a tough read for those who do not.

The opening few paragraphs of this book set the scene admirably, and this draws the reader onward into the book as more and more background on the life of Isobel Godin is divulged. Then there is more background - this time of the French expedition that set out to prove if the world was flattened at its poles or elongated. In the early 1700's this was indeed a vexing and important question, and its relevance? On the expedition was Isobel's future husband, Jean.

Then there is further background on the activities of the expedition scientists. Rich detail abounds of their methods and (it must be admitted,) heroic efforts to prove a fact all but irrelevant to everyday life in the twenty-first century.

And this is why the book fails, for after the first page or two, Isobel is all but ignored for the next 200 pages. Even her husband-to-be scarely rates a mention. The book is clearly ill-titled!

When she marries Jean, Isobel rates a little more prose, but here the tale loses the persepctive of time, for the decades-long work of the French scientists receives fully two-thirds of the book, but within the ten or twenty pages or so, two decades in the life of Isobel pass and she sets off on her journey. Here, the story proper starts, but by then I was laboring to finish the book and persevered only because I was loathe to leave a book I had spent so much time with already.

Whilst it couild be argued that the tale leading up to Isobel's adventure is of interest, it belies the title of the book. The rear blurb is somewhat misleading in that context, for although there is indeed murder, it is arguable that it does not directly involve Isobel: the deceased is a member of the French expedition whom Isobel doesn't even meet. Replace "murder" with "treachery" however, and the blurb would become acceptable.

Then, in the final few pages, the story comes alive for it gathers pace, but alas, this is too little, too late.

Contrast Whittaker's style with that of Huntsford (The Last Place on Earth), and the writing is dry and emotionless. In some way, I also lost (or perhaps more accurately, failed to obtain) a sense of place, and just pictured generic jungle scenes: if I'd known of some of the less well-known fauna, or had a description of the size of the bottflies, for example, or known what the buildings of Quito were made of and knew of their architecture, all would have been far more pleasant. And forgiveable.

Perhaps books like Huntsford's masterpeice, and "The Doctor of Crowthorne", and "Longitude" have spoiled me for each is riveting in its own way, but "The Mapmaker's Wife" fails to excite though I am filled with admiration for her endeavor and courage.

If only there had been more mention of her in the book.

This book is actually a collection of different topics weaved together with the background of the love story between a lowly French scientist and an upperclass Ecuadorian lady.

The book starts with a historical science controversy, between Cassini and Newton, regarding the actual shape of the earth. Cassini thought the world was elongated and Newton argued it was fat at the Equator. In order to reach a conclusion, a team is put together to make physical experiments at the Equator to define the shape of the Earth. That is when La Condamine and Louis Godin come in, two top French scientists, who embark on this years long trip. What should have lasted two years takes more than ten. A large group is put together to support the scientist in their journey.

The author also describes in great detail the society into which they are initially welcomed in Ecuador. However difficulties with clergy and governors arise, culminating in the public lynching of the doctor of the expedition.

All this occurs before we get to the story of Jean Godin and Isabel Grameson. Jean is the nephew of the scientist Louis Godin and Isabel is the daghter of a rich landowner in Ecuador. They begin their life together in Ecuador during the expedition and then decide to stay on for a while, but when Jean's business enterprises go bankrupt he decides to go back to France with his wife and now large family of four children. He heads through the Amazon, a dangerous journey, in the hopes of figuring out the way and then coming back to get his wife. For a number of reasons, once he is done and safely at the mouth of the Amazon, he does not go back. So, after her four children die of various diseases, Izabel gets tired of waiting and heads on her own journey across the Amazon. And that is when the story happens, which I will not ruin by telling here.

This book mixed history, science, adventure and love quite well. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in South American history, history of science, love and adventure stories. It is a timeless classic, a story that enthralled people in the 18th century and continues to do so today.

People looking for a historical romance novel will be dissapointed. This often happens to those taken in by marketing ploys to sell reality history books to the general novel-reading public.

Truth is stranger, and more interesting, than fiction. Other reviewers have already given a lot of details. I will say that the part toward the end dealing with the main female character's trip down the Amazon is completely amazing and unbelievable. What people went through to travel back then or even just to deliver a letter!

The only place the book bogged down for me a bit was in the details regarding the cartographic measurements that the French scientists made in Ecuador. This is a minor point. The rest is fascinating. For those interested in the real thing; well-written, readable history, this is it!

A book well worth reading, but it may not be what you expect.

The title is a bit misleading as Jean Godin is not truly a mapmaker nor is the book mostly about his wife. The first half of this book is almost entirely about the French expedition to colonial Peru in the early 1700's, the politics and science behind it, and the different personalities which comprise it. I did find this reading enjoyable, but I became a little frustrated when each time the plot seemed to get rolling again, Whitaker would take 10 pages to explain the geography of Peru or the history of Spain. If you're science minded, like me, you'll get a good dose of history that you would not have otherwise chosen to read or learn.

The story, what there is of it, is adventurous and entertaining, especially for the outdoor enthusiast. The history, politics, geography, and bugs he talks about do truly add to the understanding of the fate of the characters. He has brought to life a story that has been handed down only as legend. Whitaker does his best to compile all the facts, but there are still some things about this tale that we will never know.

I also felt misled by the subtitle, "A True Tale of Love, Murder, and Survival in the Amazon." Though it was all of these, it was written more like a history book than a novel. So if you're looking for romance, you won't find it here. The facts are laid out one by one leaving you to make your own pictures as to what the people looked like or the dialogue they had.

One ironic note: for a book titled "The Mapmaker's Wife", the maps are rather simplistic. No scales, keys, north arrows, or even a list of maps in the contents. There is a list of maps in the index, however, along with other helpful information. The author also includes a list of characters and descriptions at the back which I referenced many times.

Hopefully, this information will give you a better idea of what to expect and make your reading of this legendary tale more enjoyable. It's well worth your time.

When my friend passed this book on to me, I was expecting a historical novel with dialogue and romance. However, I was pleasantly surprised by a nonfiction story woven from documents, letters, and research. I have always loved maps and been intrigued with how early naturalists figured out details about nature, so this book was a page-turner for me. I couldn't put it down. It was amazing what this team endured to collect data for information that we learn in elementary school today. It also gives insight and context to some of modern day political and social issues.