LITERATURE
1421, l’année où la Chine a découvert l’Amérique
Gavin Menzies
Gavin Menzies’ revelations throughout 1421 are breathtaking. Step by step, he reconstitutes the history of nautical charts, planispheres and navigation which brings him to absolutely edifying conclusions: contrary to old successful ideas of more than 500 years, the major "discoverers" probably discovered nothing at all!
Commander of submarine in Royal Navy, Gavin Menzies spent his existence to go through the world and the oceans in the trail of the big sailors. His researches which he began to write 1421 led him to visit over 120 countries, more than 900 museums or libraries, and the quasi-totality of the harbour sites worldwide, changing for ever the history of the big discoveries.
Translated from English (United-Kingdom) by Julie Sauvage.
432 pages - unpublished maps and illustrations in color and black & white - 25€ - in French only
Reviews
"Extraordinary narrative. The first one to attack the mystery of Waldseemüller’s map." Thierry Secrétan - VSD
"Gavin Menzies’s thesis, as well the journey in the heart of the history of China in which he entails us, will make emulators." Claire Lainé - Le Point
"1421 1421 risks to come as a bombshell." Frédéric Cheutin - La Provence
"Zheng He against Colombus." Xavier Pellegrini - Le Temps
"As in a Dan Brown’s thriller, Gavin Menzies makes speak maps." Gilles Fumey - Sciences Humaines