Conquering The Pacific: An Unknown Mariner and the Final Great Voyage of the Age of Discovery

Written by Andrés Reséndez

Narrated by Phil Morris

The story of an uncovered voyage as colorful and momentous as any on record for the Age of Discovery—and of the Black mariner whose stunning accomplishment has been until now lost to history
 
It began with a secret mission, no expenses spared. Spain, plotting to break Portugal’s monopoly trade with the fabled Orient, set sail from a hidden Mexican port to cross the Pacific—and then, critically, to attempt the never-before-accomplished return, the vuelta. Four ships set out from Navidad, each one carrying a dream team of navigators. The smallest ship, guided by seaman Lope Martín, a mulatto who had risen through the ranks to become one of the most qualified pilots of the era, soon pulled far ahead and became mysteriously lost from the fleet. It was the beginning of a voyage of epic scope, featuring mutiny, murderous encounters with Pacific islanders, astonishing physical hardships—and at last a triumphant return to the New World. But the pilot of the fleet’s flagship, the Augustine friar mariner Andrés de Urdaneta, later caught up with Martín to achieve the vuelta as well. It was he who now basked in glory, while Lope Martín was secretly sentenced to be hanged by the Spanish crown as repayment for his services. Acclaimed historian Andrés Reséndez, through brilliant scholarship and riveting storytelling—including an astonishing outcome for the resilient Lope Martín--sets the record straight.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Sep 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9780358676348

Andrés Reséndez

ANDRÉS RESÉNDEZ’s most recent book, The Other Slavery: The Uncovered Story of Indian Enslavement in America, was a finalist for the National Book Award and the winner of the 2017 Bancroft Prize. He is a professor of history at the University of California, Davis, a current Carnegie fellow, and an avid sailor.  

Reviews for Conquering The Pacific

[Jake Plumb · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A decent read, contradictory to the true culture that circumnavigated the globe establishing a trade empire along the way. China had already accomplished nearly every remarkable feature highlighted in this book.

[eduscapes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

From Ferdinand Magellan and Sir Francis Drake to lesser-known scientific explorers and even an unknown mariner, a batch of new nonfiction works share previously overlooked stories set during the age of discovery. These titles expand our thinking about the people and missions that jumpstarted maritime travel and commerce.Conquering the Pacific: An Unknown Mariner and the Final Great Voyage of the Age of DiscoveryAndrés Reséndez, Sep 2021, Mariner Books, an imprint of Harper CollinsThemes: World history, Spanish history, Maritime history, Age of DiscoveryCONQUERING THE PACIFIC shares an amazing account of a mid-16th century Spanish expedition that crossed the Pacific Ocean and returned. Launched from a secret port in Mexico, the crew included a Black mariner who captained the small, lead ship.Take-aways: Of particular interest are the many examples of navigational techniques necessary to successfully cross this challenging ocean. In addition, the book details encounters with the Pacific Islanders and an assortment of near-disasters.

[stbalbach_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reséndez (b. 1970 Mexico) is a professor of history working at a US university. He is drawing attention to the first person to sail across the Pacific and back in the mid-16th century, establishing it could be done and thus the start of a "Columbia exchange" towards Asia, the consequences for the modern world "can not be over-estimated" (cliche that is true). The hero of the story is Lope Martín (mar-teen), a mulatto who had risen through the ranks to become one of the most qualified pilots of the era. Point your bow west from Mexico and sail, but it's not that easy - it requires knowledge of trade winds and currents, but also instinct and bravery. Martín is super important in world history up there with Columbus. He does not have a Wikipedia article as of this writing. The Spanish of the time managed to expunge his accomplishment from history attributing it to a non-mulatto aristocrat.The book is fairly short with a lot of diagrams. The writing is a bit dense but understandable and dramatic in parts, Reséndez is showing his knowledge and can range widely but it gets more focused towards the end stick with it. It will make you feel smarter for having read it. There is a lot about 16th century navigation techniques, it was something of a black art based on arcane knowledge. The mutinies and violence shipboard foreshadow the golden age of privateering and piracy soon to overtake the Spanish.

[jetangen4571 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

nonfiction, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, history-and-culture****I requested and received a free temporary copy from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt via NetGalley. BUT. It was only available to the app on the phone screen and although I was able to only read about 25% in this manner due to vision issues, it seemed like an unusually good Publish or Perish. Written in a style that was engaging and informative, I really wish that I could have read the whole book without distress. The print copy should be well worth it whether the reader is of Spanish heritage or not. Hoping it comes out in large print.