Conquering The Pacific: An Unknown Mariner and the Final Great Voyage of the Age of Discovery
Sep 2021 · HarperCollins
star
2 reviews
Ebook
391
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
shoppingmode87% price drop on Oct 26
About this ebook
The true story of a colorful and momentous 16th-century voyage, and of the Black mariner whose accomplishment was almost lost to history.
It was a voyage of epic scope. In a Spanish plot to break Portugal's trade monopoly with the fabled Orient, four ships set sail from a hidden Mexican port. The smallest of them was guided by Black seaman Lope Martín, one of the most qualified pilots of the era. Mutiny, murderous encounters with Pacific islanders, and extreme physical hardships followed—and at last a triumphant return to the New World. But the pilot of the fleet's flagship, the Augustine friar Andrés de Urdaneta, also achieved the Vuelta, while Martín was sentenced to be hanged by the Spanish crown as repayment for his services. Acclaimed historian Andrés Reséndez delivers a "rip-roaring maritime adventure" ( Publishers Weekly, starred review), making the riveting case for Martín as the scandalously overlooked Columbus of the Pacific.
Praise for Conquering the Pacific
"A pacey account [of] triumph of seamanship over wind and water." — Wall Street Journal
"A masterwork of narrative and conception. Reséndez magically transforms dogged archival research into a sweeping vision of the past." —Greg Grandin, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The End of the Myth and Empire's Workshop
"[Reséndez] makes the details fascinating and compelling. Readers of sailing and adventure stories will find this true account both enlightening and exciting." — Booklist (starred review)
It was a voyage of epic scope. In a Spanish plot to break Portugal's trade monopoly with the fabled Orient, four ships set sail from a hidden Mexican port. The smallest of them was guided by Black seaman Lope Martín, one of the most qualified pilots of the era. Mutiny, murderous encounters with Pacific islanders, and extreme physical hardships followed—and at last a triumphant return to the New World. But the pilot of the fleet's flagship, the Augustine friar Andrés de Urdaneta, also achieved the Vuelta, while Martín was sentenced to be hanged by the Spanish crown as repayment for his services. Acclaimed historian Andrés Reséndez delivers a "rip-roaring maritime adventure" ( Publishers Weekly, starred review), making the riveting case for Martín as the scandalously overlooked Columbus of the Pacific.
Praise for Conquering the Pacific
"A pacey account [of] triumph of seamanship over wind and water." — Wall Street Journal
"A masterwork of narrative and conception. Reséndez magically transforms dogged archival research into a sweeping vision of the past." —Greg Grandin, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The End of the Myth and Empire's Workshop
"[Reséndez] makes the details fascinating and compelling. Readers of sailing and adventure stories will find this true account both enlightening and exciting." — Booklist (starred review)
The true story of a colorful and momentous 16th-century voyage, and of the Black mariner whose accomplishment was almost lost to history.
It was a voyage of epic scope. In a Spanish plot to break Portugal's trade monopoly with the fabled Orient, four ships set sail from a hidden Mexican port. T...
Discover more
Ratings and reviews
2 reviews
Eric Olsen
- Flag inappropriate
July 14, 2026
A missing piece of world history, interesting for anyone curious about Spanish exploration of the Pacific after Magellan. Well researched and skillfully told.
About the author
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.
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 a...
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
