Rating: 
Summary: Lame Pseudo-history
Review: I picked this book up during a long layover at Heathrow.
Amusingly, the English title is "1421: The Year China
Discovered the World" (as opposed to "America"). The
publishers know their target markets, I guess. At first
glance, it looked to be a semi-serious popular history
of the last voyages of the great Chinese exploration fleets,
a topic which interests me, so I bought it. What a
disappointment! The author mutilates logic, history, biology,
and linguistics to support his notions of what the Chinese
might have done. The Chinese navigators probably did do
some of the less ludicrous things that Menzies suggests.
But the intellectually dishonest style of the book actually
makes me *less* inclined to believe it. I would recommend
this book only to real fans of pseudo-science, who will
find many hours of amusement playing spot-the-fallacy in
the 600-odd pages. You have been warned.
Rating:
Summary: worst book ever
Review: This is quite possibly the worst book ever written. A five year old could have written something that would have had more historical merit. Does he have to use the first person all the time? It really does get old after all it is his book with his own material, so he shouldn't always have to say I this or I that. We could logically assume that is how you feel Menzies without you saying I feel this way. Then there is the fact that Menzies gives us NO solid evidence that the Chinese have been to America. Where is the pottery like that found off the coasts of Africa and Australia? Where is any evidence whatsoever? Lastly if one is having a hard time comprehending the language on a map ask an etymologist not a crossword puzzle "buff"
Rating:
Summary: buy it used...if you must
Review: This book appears to be lectures the author has given slapped together to make a book. so many of his points are repeated over and over that it became so annoying I couldn't even finish it. The author jumps to bizarre conclusions, gives incorrect information and even though he stresses his research over the years a lot of information is easily found on the internet. His attempts at humor are not funny, they are just strange. I also kept thinking after reading so many times that more information will be posted on his internet site, what was the big hurry to get this book out? Also, why didn't he contact all these experts on the Chinese ship captain he researched until after his book was written? This book is just silly.
Rating: 
Summary: Impressive body of research, exciting visit to the 15th Cent
Review: Impressive body of research and exciting visit to the world of the 15th Century. I have read one other book on this topic, namely about pre-European global discovery, and that was Maps of the Ancient Sea Kings by Professor Hapgood. Since I was rather disappointed by that author's conclusions, I almost anticipated an equally disappointing experience with Mr. Menzies' book. Hapgood discussed the Piri Reis map, a portalan map of the known world rediscovered in a collection in Turkey. He and his students subjected the work to a thorough study by applying modern mapping techniques and non-Euclidean geometry. While I had no complaints about their scientific research on the map-I'd taken some cartography in conjunction with my degree in geology-I was somewhat taken aback by their conclusion that the map proved the existence of the "lost continent of Atlantis!" It is a fair jump from deciding that a pre-Columbian map portrays an accurate visual image of the coasts of the world to proving the existence of a fabled civilization. There should be other more reasonable explanations of the phenomenon tested before we resort to the Sherlock Holmes theorem (when all probable explanations are disproved, then the only remaining explanation is the improbable.) Menzies' work, 1421: The Year China Discovered America, while it also challenges accepted doctrine regarding the European initiation of world discovery, is a far more satisfying work. Like Hapgood and his students, Gavin Menzies subjects old maps to a thorough examination by modern techniques and approaches the project with a better personal vita. While not himself a professor of history, he is a well read and well traveled individual. Furthermore his life experiences qualify him far better to undertake this project than Dr. Hapgood's did. He served in the Royal Navy from 1953 to 1970, commanding a submarine, the HMS Ronqual, from 1968 to 1970. During this time he experienced the same natural phenomenon of the world's oceans and became familiar with the idiosyncracies of maps and cartography in practice. He also lived in China for two years before WWII and has returned many times since then. He displays an obvious bias in favor of Chinese culture and its potental, but not unjustly if his data are to be trusted. Probably the most impressive thing about the book is the author's very methodical approach to his subject. He begins by giving a history of the Chinese state at the time he proposes produced the maps, discussing the social background that provided the impetus to world discovery and the reason the great voyages were not followed by extensive colonization as they were later by similar European ventures. He also notes why the documentation of these voyages is so scant in China and uses what information there is as a starting point for his own pursuit of external evidence. Describing the careers of commanders like Zheng He, Yang Qing, Zhou Man, Hong Bao and Zhou Wen, he sets the stage for his own research into their adventures. Following each of the ancient commanders in their proposed missions and capitalizing on his own experience as a captain of an ocean going vessel, he charts the nature-driven course these ancient pilots would have been encouraged or forced to take. At each probable landing point, he searched for and occasionally found indications of ancient contact: in material remains like porcelains, votives, and inscriptions, in the mythology of aboriginals, in wreck sites of non-European vessels, and so on. The most impressive piece of this type of assessment is that of the Bimini "road." This underwater formation has had many attempted explanations, most of them total fantasy. They have been described as "temples" of a lost civilization, as "roads" from the lost continent of Atlantis, as odd geological formations, as concretions remaining from some former sea life, etc. That they might have been laid down by sailors for the very practical purpose of beaching their ships for repair is the most logical explanation I've heard yet! Menzies is even able to describe how the beaching procedure would have been done and why that dictated that the "road" be designed just as it is. Unlike Hapgood and his students, this author examines not just the Piri Reis of 1513 but several of the other anomalous early maps in pursuing the voyages of these amazing captains: the Kangnido world map of 1402, the Pizzigano chart of 1424, Fra Mauro's planisphere of 1459, the Cantino world chart of 1502, the Waldseemuller map of 1507, and the Jean Rotz world map of 1542. While many of these date to after the European voyages of discovery, this author-and others as well-believe that they are copies of originals that are older. It is believed that the European understanding of map making and of assessing position, particularly longitude, was not adequate enough to have produced such precise descriptions of foreign coasts. The author's explanation of why this is true and why and how the Chinese were so far ahead of their European counterparts is detailed and interesting. Menzies' style is colorful and descriptive, reading almost like a novel. At times one is as lost in the narrative of the voyages as one is in the history of the events and the logic of the author's arguments. I found it difficult to put down and read it in about two days. The bibliography is quite extensive and includes mostly books in English or in English translation. Some are a little old-Aldridge's "Cairo" for one (1970) though it's a fascinating discussion of the city-but even some of these are germane to the subject. The technical discussions might be beyond the junior high level reader, but the story certainly is not. I think that some of this should be taught in high school world history classes, since it shows that the age of discovery was a global phenomenon, that the world may have been "ready" for discovery, that it was "in the air" so to speak and inevitable. That the Chinese could explore the world without antagonizing the foreign people they met along the way makes one wonder if the violence of the European ventures abroad were truly "inevitable" outcomes of a highly technological society confronting a less advanced culture as sometimes said. An interesting book and worth a space on your shelf.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Books I have Read
Review: I recommend this book highly, it is in no sense badly researched or boring, it is repetitive, though, in certain parts. How did the people with Chinese genes get to remote South American villages? How did the 500 ft. Chinese junk full of Ming china in its hold get into the Sacramento River in California and sink there? How did the various Portugese explorers know where they were going? Where did their maps come from, if they were the supposed discoverers of new routes? The answers are given in this terrifically interesting book. It's also fascinating to see how information can be lost or covered up and destroyed so that alsmost no traces of the giant armada remained in China--but traces do remain, no information can ever be entirely eliminated. The truth is always there to be found, this time, thanks to a man who just couldn't quit wondering why.
Rating:
Summary: Less than meets the eye
Review: After laying out $27.95 for this book, it's disconcerting to read in it again and again that the information is incomplete but will be more thorough in the paperback, out soon. Otherwise, it's a farrago of "must have been", "probably" and "there is no doubt". The author spent 15 years on it, but probably he must have been playing golf as well, there is no doubt. Example: He describes a stone stele with a mysterious script carved on it, (which he annoyingly keeps calling "calligraphy") . He sent it to the Bank of India (this is a research source?) who said it looked like Malayalam, which was now nearly extinct. He dropped it there. Curious as to why they didn't translate it anyway, I plugged "Malayalam" into my search engine, and in minutes discovered that, far from going extinct, it was the official language of Kerala province, spoken and read by many millions in India. In fact there was an internet course teaching it. This ineptitude cut the legs off all the rest of the "facts" in the book. Another one that got to me was his claim that the Chinese had negotiated the Northeast passage north of Siberia, based on no other information than his opinion that the Waldseemuller map of 1507 shows details of the north coast of Siberia. "The only logical explanation is...". The good old Chinese do it again. Lots of people happened upon North America before Columbus; it was too big to miss. But none of them stayed. History starts with Columbus. After he returned, lots of other people followed his path. And here we are. Ignore this book, unless you're a big von Daniken fan.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting fictional account of the discovery of Americas
Review: First, let's dispense with the obvious; this is largely a work of fiction. The hunches are just that and the evidence is circumstanial at best. I understand that Menzies believes that most of his potential "proof" was destroyed ages ago by the Chinese themselves. That doesn't prove his theory. In the most ridiculous accumulation of circumstanial evidence this side of Chariots of the Gods (Van Dankien's absurd premise at the heart of God is as follows;how could humans have built the pyramids--we're just not smart enough! Yet we came up with physics, mathematics, art, literature. All of that must of come from aliens from outer space as well), Menzies claims that the Chinese sailed virtually around the world. I have no doubt that the Chinese played more of a cultural role than previously attributed and believe that Menzies theory is fascinating but he lacks proof. Like Edward Hooper's book on the AIDS epidemic The River, Menzies began with his theory first and then sought out proof afterwards. That's not to say that Menzies' ideas don't have merit or that they don't merit serious discussion (or a more detailed book for that matter). Menzies proof is sketchy at best. Sure there is compelling evidence that suggests that the Chinese ventured far outside the waters of their continent but that doesn't prove that they discover the Americas or that Columbus knew about the Americas prior to sailing himself. Many of Menzies ideas certainly would merit a more critical and objective book. 1421 isn't bad but it's an example of the National Enquirer world we live in; suggest a theory and then use sketchy information to support it. After all, most folks will never know and those less informed than Menzies will never suspect when his proof has been slanted to prove his theories. As it is, 1421 is no better than a fictional historical novel; while there are many bits of truth in it, there's also a whole lot of fiction.
Rating:
Summary: A great lesson: how not to think critically
Review: The most fascinating thing about this book is its demonstration of how logical fallacies and self deception can allow someone to reach any conclusion they wish. The author consistently makes huge leaps of faith based on logical fallacy, conformation bias, selective thinking, and plain old lazy thinking. Each layer of wild conjecture becomes the foundation for the next, making this house of cards a great teaching tool--as a model of how NOT to think critically. Is Menzies hypothesis true? I have no idea, and this book certainly proves nothing either way.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but a lot of "evidence" is wrong
Review: The premise involving the unexplained completeness of the period's maps is interesting. But, the author doesn't do himself any favors by citing incorrect facts as evidence. Jade not known in pre-columbian Mexico? That's ridiculous. It was widely used in Mayan culture. Taro must have been brought to Hawaii by the Chinese? It was brought by the polynesian settlers of Hawaii. Chinese speakers in 19th century California? Not a surprise, given there was heavy Chinese migration to California in the 19th Century. Chinese DNA in people from Northern South America? Chinese indentured labor was heavily imported to the region during the 19th century. Pineapples in the Carribean? The arawaks Columbus encountered in the Carribean had migrated from the region of South American pineapples come from and probably just brought them along. Another strange thing is that the author mentions three maps that depict parts of the coast line of South America and says they all predate Columbus's travels - the problems is that none of them do, as is clearly shown in his own captions.
Rating: 
Summary: It could be true,but....
Review: There is no question that the Great Fleet existed and that the Indian Ocean and the East Coast of Africa were explored and colonized by the Chinese in the 15th century. Louise Levathis older book "When China ruled the Sea" is not mentioned by the author but it is more serious and less sensational.The book"1421" is wonderful to read but leaves a lot of circumstantial evidence to be confirmed by serious scholars.
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