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Admiral of the Ocean Sea: A Life of Christopher Columbus | 
| Author: Samuel Eliot Morison
Publisher: MJF Books
Category: Book
List Price: $12.98
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Avg. Customer Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 914499
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 680
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.5
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.9
ISBN: 1567311431
Dewey Decimal Number: 920
EAN: 9781567311433
Publication Date: May 1997
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Product Description
Telling the story of the greatest sailor of them all, "Admiral of the Ocean Sea" is a vivid and definitive biography of Columbus that details all of his voyages that, for better or worse, changed the world. 50 drawings, maps & charts; 4 fold-outs.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 How Times Have Changed For Cristobal Colon October 11, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Morison wrote this fine book in honor of the 450'th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America. I think Morison would be surprised at how people's perceptions of the event have changed in the decades since.
First off, let me say that the book is well worth reading. Morison was a man of the sea himself and he sailed in the same waters as Columbus. We see in the book how Columbus was a master seaman as well as being a great salesman, but on the other hand he was a poor geographer and even worse politician. The Portuguese were right in turning down his proposal for the Enterprise of the Indies, their geographers knew that Columbus was way off the mark regarding the distance from Europe to East Asia. In any event, they were making good progress down Africa and they felt it was just a matter of time until they found the bottom of the continent and the entrance to the Indian Ocean.
I would now like to address the change in fortune for Columbus's reputation.
(1) People now like to say that he didn't "discover" America. One reason is because there were already people (the American Indians) there, but that is simply world-games. Of course he "discovered" it, no one in Europe or Asia knew about it, and the Indians didn't know about Europe or Asia either. Secondly, the fact that Columbus wasn't necessarily the first to cross the Atlantic doesn't change anything. The Vikings who reached North America simply viewed it as another Arctic land and had no idea of the geographical relationship of this new continent to the rest of the world. In any event, they didn't exploit their discovery in the long run, only Columbus's voyage led to that. It is also speculated that Portuguese fisherman were crossing the Atlantic before Columbus, after all, they discovered the Azores already in the 1420's (already one-third of the way across the Atlantic) but we don't know if they sighted the continent, and even if they did, they, like the Vikings didn't do anything to exploit their knowledge.
(2) People say that he is responsible for the destruction of the Indian society that existed on Hispaniola. It certainly wasn't his original intention to do this. He wanted to convert the natives to Christianity, so killing them off wouldn't help this mission. Morison himself points out that Columbus did contribute to this tragedy, but even if Columbus had been more careful, I think the Indians would have had the same fate. The settlers that came in the wake of the discovery brought new plants and animals in addition to previously unknown diseases and all these things would have grievously damaged the Indians agricultural system and society. Add to this the Spaniard's missionary religion which no doubt was attractive to at least some of the native population and we see that things could just not remain the same.
(3) Some people claim the pre-Columbian New World was some sort of paradise that the Europeans ruined. This is also knows as the myth of the "noble savage". Unfortunatley it is just a myth because human nature is the same all over the world. Greed, cruelty, avarice and the such are not just European or Western traits. The Carib tribes who inhabited the Caribbean Sea (and gave it its name) were very warlike and fought other, more peaceful tribes. Similarly, the Mexica (also knows as the Aztec) the Hernan Cortes conquered in the wake of Columbus was hated by its Indian neighbors for supressing them and taking prisoners for the human sacrificial system. Thus, we should be more realistic in evaluating the pre-Columbian societies and remove the "politically correct" rose-colored glasses.
(3) While it is true that slaves from Africa were brought over to Hispaniola, it must be remembered that the European slave traders who brought them over to the New World did not land in West Africa and grab natives "off the streets". They bought them from local African chiefs who captured prisoners in their local wars and then sold them to the Europeans. Thus, regarding the cruelty of the slavery system, there is plenty of blame to go around and not just to the white men involved.
All-in-all, this is a very enjoyable book to read about a man, who perhaps more than any other single person, brought about the most massive revolution in human history.
 Excellent work January 12, 2007
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Morison's pulitzer prize winning work is an engaging, balanced, well written look at the life of the great explorer. The emphasis of the book is on Columbus, the mariner.(Morrison, a Harvard professor with a sailing background, actually retraced Columbus journeys in his own sailing craft). I was interested in finding a fair and objective historical biography of Columbus (without all the negative, politically correct, anti-European propoganda that permeates the thinking of modern leftist academics).In my opinion, this book provides it. I would highly recommend this work for students of history, who want to gain a better appreciation of the nature and significance of Columbus Voyages.
"Adelante! Adelante!" (Land! Land!) October 22, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
"Admiral of the Ocean Sea", Samuel Morison's 1942 Pulitzer Prize winning biography of Christopher Columbus, is still considered by many to be the best there is. Morison spent 2 years on a sailboat re-tracing Columbus' voyages bringing a first hand immediacy and perspective that gives it unusual authority on all technical aspects of sailing and navigation. In addition Morison was a Harvard history professor whose research of the written record is impeccable. Even before Columbus died in the early 16th century, there have been countless controversies and debates about many aspects of his life and voyages. Into this maelstrom of legend, myth and folklore - like the discover he writes about - Morison brings order, calm and reliable passage for one of the most fascinating and mythological figures of World History.
Genuinely worthy of five stars July 25, 2005
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I have had this book on my shelf for quite a while, and finally got around to reading it after watching a documentary on Columbus on the Discivery Channel. I got inspired to overcome my intellectual laziness, and how pleased I am I did! This book really deserves its reputation as a timeless classic, and the author, a giant of maritime history, did such a fine job that I now want to read his well known biography of John Paul Jones. The text is gripping and the author's insights abound. This is a fine book.
A colorful narrative, rich in detail. February 22, 2005
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
This book is the definitive work on Columbus. Morison is famous for making the same journey that Columbus made with largely the same equipment in order to prepare for writing this book. His experience shines through in the detail thatMorison lavishes on his subject.
As is the case with any great biography, Morison has become enamored with his subject, highlighting his strengths and successes while downplaying his weaknesses and failures, but you know that going into any biography and can adjust your interpretation accordingly.
The story here is told very well, keeping the reader engaged and turning pages. Additionally, the book dispells many of the myths and common misconceptions about Columbus and really fills in a complete picure of the man.
Well worth reading for any fan of history or biography.
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