Customer Reviews
Journey of Discovery - By: P. Robertshaw, 28 Apr 2008 
Felipe's Pathfinders: A Global History of Exploration is a tremendous piece of writing, covering a vast topicin an eminently readable style. Whilst not claiming to be a sacrosanct text, Felipe presents some of the most commonly accepted explanations about aspects of this huge topicin a very pragmatic & reasonable way. Amongst the many topics covered are the following:
* A brief history of early human development & the dispersion of people around the globe
* How the natural environment around the Indian Ocean enabled a flourishing, ocean going trade system to develop many, many centuries ago
* Insights into how trade, romanticism & empire building inspired various European countries to start explorations around the globe
* How a desire to reach the Indo-Chinese trade routes led to the `discovery' of America: which was for a long time only seen as a barrier to the original goal
* A look at what is now left for the pathfinders of today & tomorrow
I started reading this book knowing that I knew very little of the history about how humanity had developedin different parts of the world, I have also found that my knowledge of the worlds geography was also limited and, as such, spent a lot of time referencing a small globe whilst reading. I would recommend this book for anyone with an interestin history or humanity or, as myself, the origins of world trade & commerce.
wise and wonderful - By: Dean Swift, 29 Sep 2007 Fernandez Armesto has breathtaking ambition & scope. His history combines a fine sense for what makes a great yarn with sure-footed scholarship. He tells it with a flourish, & what an epic collection of tales he has to tell. This is what history should be, great entertainment, a welter of fasincating detail, & a grand perspective.
-Mick.
Great history writing - By: Ventura Angelo, 09 Jul 2007 One cannot praise enough this book for its clarity & profoundity, when the author unravels the paths pursued by humanityin exploring the world & other cultures.Armesto's fine intuitions & great storitelling make this book a true masterpiece.
The route-finders - By: Kris, 09 Nov 2006 Finally we have received a book about exploration which on the contrary to Allen's book `Faber book of Exploration' gives wide & not only English perspective on the subject. And this is the greatest value of this volumein addition to truly spectacular review of human endurancein exploration. For Fernandez-Armesto, on the contrary to Allen, the world exploration is a continuous process, which is not only related to mare conquering lands & seas but mainly to human progress from the dark past to present time. Remarkable work showing from the first chapter to the last one how we came to global vision & one would say destruction by globalization. ( Chapter 9).
