Over the Edge of the World [Paperback]

Laurence Bergreen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 6, 2004

The astonishing tale of the first sea voyage to circumnavigate the entire globe. Magellan's dramatic maritime expedition in 1519 discovered the straits that enabled Europe to trade with the Eastern spice islands and changed the course of history. In an era of intense commercial rivalry between Spain and Portugal, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese navigator sailed to explore the undiscovered parts of the world and claim them for the Spanish crown in one of the largest and best-equipped expeditions ever mounted in the Age of Discovery. Yet of the fleet of five vessels under his command, only Victoria was to return to Spain after three harrowing years, her captain murdered, more than two hundred of her sailors dead from scurvy, torture, execution and drowning, and a small, ravaged crew that survived to tell the extraordinarily dramatic story. What emerged was a tale of mutiny, of orgies on distant shores, of claims of cannibalism, of death and disease, of missionary zeal and base cruelty, and of incredible discoveries: the earth was indeed round, the Americas were not part of India, the earth was covered mainly by oceans, and a new route that allowed Europe access to the fantastic wealth of the Eastern spice islands. Indeed, despite the devastating loss of life and vessels, the Victoria sailed back laden with enough cloves and other spices for the expedition to be considered a remarkable financial success. Accomplished despite the fact that European mariners were exploring a world that was unmapped and misunderstood, where superstition held sway and there were real fears that you could literally sail over the edge of the world, that sea monsters lurked in the briny depths, or that if you passed the equator, the ocean would boil and scald you to death, this was a truly spectacular achievement. The shockingly explicit diaries of Antonio Pigafetta reveal much of the story. This is a many-layered book -- a voyage into history, a tour of the world as it was emerging from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance, an anthropological account of exotic tribes and a chronicle of a desperate grab for political and commercial power. It is also a gripping adventure story, compelling and full of suspense and drama.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'A superb real-life thriller.' New York Times 'The gripping story of a 60,000-mile ocean voyage!by turns sorrowful, violent, and promiscuous!' Los Angeles Times 'A vivid account of Magellan's starcrossed voyage.' Kirkus Reviews 'Illuminating the age of discovery, Bergreen writes this powerful tale of adventure with a strong presence and rich detail.' Publishers' Weekly 'Mr. Bergreen delivers torture, suffering, starvation and bloody frays with almost loving zeal.' Washington Times 'Prodigious research, sure-footed prose and vivid descriptions make for a thoroughly satisfying account!it is all here in the wondrous detail, a first-rate historical page turner.' New York Times Book Review

About the Author

Laurence Bergreen is the author of the highly acclaimed biographies Capone: The Man and his Era, As Thousands Cheer: The Life of Irving Berlin, James Agee: A Life and Louis Armstrong: An Extravagant Life. His most recent book is the story of NASA's quest For Mars.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (December 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0007198558
• ISBN-13: 978-0007198559
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,623,251 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling account of Magellan's voyage, July 15, 2009

By 

Dr. R. A. Schmidt - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Over the Edge of the World (Paperback)

This is a fast moving account of Ferdinand Magellan's search for the western route to the Spice Islands, his encounter with fate and the almost incomplete circumnavigation of the world by a ragtag group of survivors and unwillling passengers whom the crew of the sole surviving ship of the 4 which crossed the Pacific picked up along the way to find their way home. After years of sea-borne adventure without charts, a method of establishing longitude and replenishment of water and supplies on an as available basis, only 20 some of the original 260 crew and staff of the 5 ship armada completed the voyage and then only as scurvy bitten invalids adrift on an incapacitated storm decimated ship. Magellan himself, driven as he had to be to seek passage via a strait that he himself only believed to exist, was himself killed in the Phillipines when he intervened in native affairs unecessarily but because he thought himself invincible. The book is primarily based on a surviving journal kept by Magellan's scribe/historian who doubled as a student of exotic language, amateur anthopologist and sometimes "censor" of events of which he thought the Spanish king/sponsor of the voyage might not approve. The social environment in Spain and Portugal, the home base of the intrepid travellers, a splinter group of mutineers seeking to discredit the eventual survivors of the voyage who had returned rather than weather the new-found straits around Patagonia, and the perils of nature and hostile peoples are all told in a style that flows well and makes reference to other histroical events and circumstances. Well worth reading.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book!, March 15, 2011

By 

Mab Turpin (texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Over the Edge of the World (P.S.) (Kindle Edition)

This is truly one of the best books I have ever read! The first part has a lot of interesting historical background and then the excitement starts. What an adventure! The men who undertook these journeys were amazingly resilient. It's the kind of book you can't put down.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well Written History, March 17, 2010

By 

GJ Marks (ABQ, NM) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Over the Edge of the World (Hardcover)

Quickly, this book drew me in and had me eager for every next page. Who knew?