The year china discovered the world which claims that. Former british submarine commander and amateur historian. His knowledge of seafaring and navigation sparked his interest in the. He brings the reader aboard the remarkable chinese fleet as it sails from china to cairo and florence, and then back across the world. Gavin menzies is a retired naval commander with an engagingly roguish manner. For researchers and fans of gavin menzies books, 1421 and 1434. Gavin menzies made it his lifes work after retiring from the british navy to find out. Colonna thats a pretty good analysis of the book 1421. This video talks about a famous example of bad history. The year china discovered the world take me to 1421 in 1434, gavin menzies offers a stunning reappraisal of history, presenting compelling new evidence on the european renaissance, tracing its roots to china. Chinese ships traveling along the east coast of north america in precolumbian times is spelled out in the best selling book, who really discovered america by gavin menzies and ian hudson. The writing that seeks to disprove menzies is at least as long as his book. The ships, some nearly five hundred feet long, were under the command of emperor zhu dis loyal eunuch admirals. The year china discovered america by gavin menzies online at alibris.
One question perhaps looms largest when approaching the 1421 theory. Menzies web site contains more, and more recent, details than the bookalong with a sequel and an exploration of the atlantis myth. If the chinese had a presence in the americas prior to christopher columbus, then why isnt their mark left indelibly on the face of american civilization. On the 8th of march, 1421, the largest fleet the world had. The year china discovered the world which claims that the chinese admiral zheng he discovered america in 1421. Menzies, a former submarine commander in the british royal navy, discussed his controversial book 1421. On march 8, 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen set sail from china to proceed all the way to the ends of the earth to collect tribute from the. Gavin menzies, a former british royal navy officer, argues in the bestseller 1421. Gavin menzies would have us believe that he is a multitalented naval commander who has taught himself all about early maps, ancient voyages and numerous other esoteric studies. The list of discoveries and technologies are staggering. The year china discovered america paperback june 3, 2008. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He joined the royal navy in 1953 and served in submarines from 1959 to 1970.
Gavin menzies published by bantam press, london on the 8th of march, 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen sailed from its base in china. In 1421, he claims china discovered america, australia, antarctica, and took siberia home. I also bought the paperback version of the book to see the illustrations and ancient maps detailed in the narrative. In his follow up book 1434 he claims that the european renaissance was sparked by the chinese. The year china discovered america, that squadrons from zheng hes fleets, between 1421 and 1423, did indeed get. The year china discovered the world by gavin menzies. By late 1421, chinas history was set for centuries to come. Now, in a controversial sequel, gavin menzies says they also sparked the renaissance. Id rather just drop a book unworthy of finishing and move on to a new one. Gavin menzies 19372020 was the bestselling author of 1421. Physical evidence for the 1421 theory howstuffworks. Menzies argues that between 1421, when a large fleet set out from china to explore the world, and 1423 when they returned to a muchchanged society where their logs were destroyed and further exploration halted the. The year china discovered america, claimed two more major pieces of evidence to prove his theory.
Gavin menzies had the idea to write his first book after he and his wife marcella visited the forbidden city for their twentyfifth wedding anniversary. The finished copy of the book was published in 2002 as 1421. The year china discovered the world take me to 1421. Greatly expanding on 1421, gavin menzies and ian hudson uncover the complete untold history of how mankind came to populate the americas by multiple seaborne voyages over a period of thousands of years. The year china discovered the world published as 1421. The year china discovered the world gavin menzies on. With verve and unflagging conviction, gavin menzies advances a. The year china discovered america publishers weekly. Booktopia has 1421, the year china discovered the world by gavin menzies. The chinese may have been in many places of this world, especially on the western coast of the americas. The year china discovered america, published by william morrow.
In this book gavin menzies, a british submarine captain puts. The year a magnificent chinese fleet sailed to italy and ignited the renaissance, and the lost empire of atlantis. His first book claimed that the chinese discovered america. Knowing little of these things myself, but being fascinated by apparent historical anomalies, i leapt into this book on my kindle, possibly not the best way to read.
The first book was great, this one has way more informatiion and is one of several that gavin has out on the voyages. The year a magnificent chinese fleet sailed to italy and ignited the renaissance. While the book does contain some compelling claimsfor example, that the chinese. When elizabeth grice interviewed him in these pages recently, he seemed untroubled by. Greatly expanding on the blockbuster 1421 gavin menzies and his coauthor ian hudson uncover the complete untold history of how mankind came to populate the americas by multiple sea voyages, over several millenia. The year china discovered america, gavin menzies presents evidence that china not only discovered north and south america before columbus was born, but also rounded the cape of good hope, explored the north and south poles, discovered australia, and circumnavigated the world, visiting every continent except europe. This time, though, i think 1421 merits further explanation because of the sensational success it has experienced worldwide. Gavin menzies is the globally bestselling author of 1421. And since menzies notability solely rests on his chinesefleetarriveseveryhwerehypothesis, a merger of 14211434 with gavin menzies is only the logical next step.
The book is written informally, as a series of vignettes of menzies travels around the globe examining what he claims is evidence for his 1421 hypothesis, interspersed with speculation and. The year china discovered america first page here second page. Menzies gives very little evidence for his thesis of the chinese traveling round the world in 1421. The year china discovered the world bantam new edition by menzies, gavin isbn. In 1434, gavin menzies combines this longoverdue historical reexamination with the excitement of an investigative adventure. Menzies was inspired to write 1421 after a visit to the forbidden city in beijing, china with his wife marcella for their twentyfifth wedding anniversary. In the course of researching 1421, he visited 120 countries, over 900 museums and libraries, and every major sea port of the late middle ages. The year china discovered the world gavin menzies published by bantam press, london. The year china discovered the world by gavin menzies online at alibris. The year china discovered the world gavin menzies published by bantam press, london on the 8th of march, 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen sailed from its base in china.
On 8 march 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen set sail from china. Gavin menzies was born in 1937 and lived in china for two years before world war ii. The year china discovered america gavin menzies, author. Gavin menzies audio books, best sellers, author bio. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. His ideas have been profiled in the new york times, new york times magazine, and wall street journal, and he has lectured at the library of congress washington, d. The year china discovered america book by gavin menzies. User will profit from an arrangement of everything under a single roof, while this policy of one article for each menzies book smells too much of cheap book promotion.
About the author 2004 gavin menzies is the bestselling author of 1421. The year china discovered america, that squadrons from zheng hes fleets, between 1421 and 1423, did indeed get to. Felipe fernandezarmesto, professor of history at the university of london, dismissed his book, 1421. The year china discovered america by gavin menzies and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. On march 8, 1421, the largest fleet the world had ever seen set sail from china to proceed all the way to the ends of the earth to collect tribute from the barbarians beyond the seas.
Either way, menzies says that evidence of their arrival is scattered throughout the tradition, custom and art of american indian tribes. When the fleet returned home in october 1423, the emperor had fallen, leaving china in political and economic chaos. Books the lost empire of atlantis 1421 gavin menzies. Gavin menzies, author of the bestselling and controversial 1421.