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Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe
Laurence Bergreen Book Review

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Plot Summary of Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe
"

Morrow, Oct 2003, 27.95, 458 pp.
ISBN: 0066211735

provides a deep look at Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan's sixteenth century quest that led to the first known navigation of the world. This journey is a pivotal point in how Europeans viewed the world as people realized that not only will one not fall off the globe, but that Europe is not the epicenter of the orb. Mr. Bergreen followed the ill-fated journey through what is now the Straits of Magellan at the tip of South America and uses satellite images to further enhance the trek. Of interest to historical buffs is the daily journal that encompasses known research from around the globe. This includes sailor Albo's log and the comments of scholar sailor Pigafetta. The author debunks several modern day myths such as Magellan's mission was not go around the world, but to find a water route to the Spice Islands; and that the voyage was not glorious but brutal and filled with tragedy and misfortunes including the Captain having died in the Philippines. Magellan never made it. The trek took three years with only one ship with eighteen survivors making it back to Spain.

This is a great account of one of the legendary journeys of history. Supplemented by maps, inserts, and first hand accounts, readers join on the harrowing trek that proved once and for all that the world is round. No one will feel over the edge with this great look at the “Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe” by Magellan and his crew.

Harriet Klausner

"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
job/profession: - explorer
Job/profession/poverty story Yes
Period of greatest activity? - ancient times

Subject of Biography
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - explorer
Age: - 40's-50's
Ethnicity - White
How sensitive is this person? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other people
Physique - average physique

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 10 ()
Ice Caps/Sea? Yes
Where? - Ocean
Century: - distant past

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Book makes you feel? - thoughtful
Unusual Style: - a lot of stream of consciousness
Writer's slant towards subject: - very favorable
Story of entire life, or part? - story of set of events during life
Pictures/Illustrations? - More than 15 in color
How much dialogue in bio? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 76%-100% of book
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