Curiosity, Adventure Travel, Exploration, Trade, War, Murder: The European Expansion, 15th to 20th Century

By James B. Read

A fast paced narrative exploration of adventure, discovery and murder while each evolving empire seeks to annihilate the current owner of the trade monopoly. This maritime history, unwinding through the eyes of a sailor is both educational and engaging on a personal level. Considerer whether Marco Polo was for real, did Prince Henry the Navigator, by himself, set the stage for world discovery, why did the Portuguese Empire barely last 100 years, how did an Egyptian scientist determine the circumference of the earth long before Christ, what was the medieval stopwatch, how did a one armed, one eyed, 135-pound British Admiral upstage Napoleon at every opportunity and prevent an invasion from France? This and much more. The second book inside this cover is a themed travelogue with boots on the ground personal adventure travel and discovery which includes the inspiration to take on this project.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Jan 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781684702831

James B. Read

Read is a curious retired engineer, always seeking to understand this world. He has been obsessed with the early navigators, the instruments they used, and how they mysteriously managed to find their way on the high seas, far from any land. In addition, he has developed innovative ways to help others understand the art and science of offshore navigation. Beyond this, he has created a birdbath mounted sundial that not only keeps accurate time, but allows the owner to record the figure 8 analemma and other celestial events.