A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World

This is a fascinating account of the history of so-called explorers and discoverers of the Americas and their self-centered approach to discovering, conquering, exploiting and colonizing the new world. It is funny at times and very easy to read. I recommend it highly to anyone who wants to unpack basic assumptions commonly held from Columbus discovering America (he never set foot in America) to the "first Thanksgiivng," to the reason African slaves were imported. Wonderful!

This book is the latest in a series of excellent historical/adventure books by the great writer, Tony Horwitz. He tells a great story and you realize at the end of the book that you've learned more about history than you ever learned in school. I've read every Horwitz book and can highly recommend them all. Blue Latitudes is so good its stupid. Confederates in the Attic is a hoot. This new book is just wonderful as well. Its definitely on my book shelf!

This book was a joy to read and is second only to "Confederates In The Attic" in quality. The chapters that most stand out for me are the ones that deal with Hernando de Soto. Before reading this book, I was aware in a general sense the de Soto had been harsh to the native Americans he meet. But the scale of his atrocities was not something I knew about until reading this book. I guess that only 5% of high school graduates in the US would even know who he was. Anyway this book is highly recommended.

This is probably the most fun I have had reading history in a long time. It has the factual history of long-forgotten, early European explorers in North America. The facts are interspersed with a very amusing travelogue in which the author follows the paths of the explorers. You will find yourself saying over and over "I didn't know that". Did you know that the Spaniard, Coronado reached Kansas in the early 16th Century and found native grass so tall, that people could become fatally lost in it. This time span of North American history from the Vikings, to Plymouth and Jamestowne (11th to 17th Century) is an important and much overlooked period. I read a lot of history and this is just a breath of fresh air.

I have been waiting for this book and I wasn't disappointed. Tony Horwitz has an uncanny ability to make history fun! I plan on sending this book to friends and family who still believe the many myths of history. Keep up the good work, Tony!