1421: The Year China Discovered America

Poo-poo. Not believable. Pseudo history. I did not read the back story on how this book got published to begin with, my loss. Should be listed as fiction.

I had an early issue of this book several years ago. When Nat’l Geographic came out with a write-up on the subject, I looked, but did not find due credit given to Gavin Menzies. Irritating, since he was the first to bring the voyages to light. Gavin wasa submarine commander in the Aisian oceans area for many year, knows currents & so forth. His outlook on the voyages is understandable and makes sense. The first book was great, this one has way more informatiion and is one of several that Gavin has out on the voyages. I highly reccomend this, or any of his books .

Loved his detective work on the maps. He stretches to conclusions a bit overall and beyond what an academically trained historian would, but his knowledge of ocean currents and winds and the capabilities of various watercraft, supply requirements, etc., is encyclopedic. He writes withthe certainty of a military officer, which will be off-putting to some serious researchers. But if you lay aside professional prejudice for a bit and look at the invaluble, fresh newly discovered data he presents, there is much to be respected and seriously considered in his work.

This book is NOT suitable to those with eurocentrism worldview. The architecture of numerous “independence” and “supremacy” of developments and discoveries, whether it be intellectual output, or naval voyages pioneering, with the [west] as source of origin-ism, has been demolished in several areas; and Gavin’s book is a passionate research on the latter, naval feats. Menzies work is joining the meticulous body of works, from academicians, to prolific researchers, to reestablishing a historiography where monuments of civilizations didn’t originate in the invented “west”. In fact, Menzies meticulous work, is unique due to his unique skills, where many armchair, bookworms in academia, lacks; naval navigation. For the quantitative, qualitative dimension and impact on historical landscape of Menzies’ work, to offer one star rating, demonstrates psychological partiality, & scholarly deficit; five stars is fitting. Immensely Grateful for such passionate exposition.

This book should certainly change history. Not sure why it hasn’t entered the history books yet, but it should. Menzies’s research supports his speculations. Very well done and pose intriguing arguments.

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