On 10 August 1519, five ships departed from Seville for what was to become the first circumnavigation of the globe. Named for its captain, Ferdinand Magellan, much of the expedition is known through the travel diary of one of the few crew members who returned to Spain, Antonio Pigafetta. A narrative and cartographic record of the journey, Pigafetra's First Voyage around the World is a classic of discovery and exploration literature.
Based on the critical edition by Andrea Canova, this volume includes an extensive introduction and comprehensive annotation by Theodore J. Cachey Jr, who discusses the many extraordinary aspects of Pigafetta's story and allusions to it by writers as diverse as Shakespeare and Gabriel Garda Marquez. However, Cachey is careful to point out that Pigafetta's book is far from just an entertaining adventure-filled travel narrative. It is also a remarkably accurate ethnographic and geographical account of the voyage. Expertly presented and handsomely illustrated, this edition of Pigafetta's work is sure to enlighten and invigorate the imaginations of readers as it has done since it first appeared in print.
The captain of the first European circumnavigation of the globe, Magellan, was killed halfway through the trip. Fortunately the chronicler of the voyage, Antonio Pigafetta, survived and his remarkably accurate description of the lands and their inhabitants was instantly popular, providing inspiration for Shakespeare's Tempest and encouraging a generation of explorers. For this translation and edition, editor Cachey (romance languages, Notre Dame) sets Pigafetta's work in the context of the time and provides copious notes that give further information to explain the entries. Maps that accompanied the original manuscript are reproduced. Cachey notes that Pigafetta's lists of words in Malay and Filipino reflect the sounds accurately and he reproduced the pronunciation of place names well enough for them to be recognized today. This is a fascinating book for historians and armchair travelers alike. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
The First Voyage around the World is also a remarkably accurate ethnographic and geographical account of the circumnavigation, and one that has earned its reputation among modern historiographers and students of the early contacts between Europe and the East Indies.
