Another book I can't believe it took me this long to read. Many parts of it were a bit thick, given the subject matter. Some sections I skimmed through which meant I made one big mistake:

In the Azores Islands (the first stop on the way to Europe 3000 miles from New York and 1000 from Lisbon) I read about how they made their first stop there. The locals hand saddled monkeys and leased them out so the tourists could ride them around the island.

I couldn't believe it. Then, a couple hundred pages later, I read about how the locals in Italy had saddled donkeys and leased them out so the tourists could ride them around the island.

I had to go back and discover my mistake (they all apparently use donkeys).

It's depressing that I'm getting more illiterate as I age.