What if he does ask a great deal? they said. He has spent his life thinking his plan out; no wonder he feels that he ought to have a good share of what he finds. What he asks is really small compared with what Spain will gain. The war with the Moors has cost you ever so much; your money-chests are empty; Columbus will fill them up. The people of Cathay are heathen; Columbus will help you make them Christian men. The Indies and Cathay are full of gold and jewels; Columbus will bring you home shiploads of treasures. Spain has conquered the Moors; Columbus will help you conquer Cathay.
This is an oldie, but a goodie for children. Brooks pulls no punches about some of the less-than-heroic things that Columbus did. But he's not out to "debunk" him or put him down. Brooks clearly explains that Columbus, like all of us, was a product of his age. He shows that Columbus demonstrated great persistence, determination, and faith in his quest. Even though he was not successful in doing what he set out to do, he did do remarkable things.
We enjoyed this through audio recording offered by My Freedom Frontier. We have enjoyed our journey back in history and learned so much. All I was taught, while I was in school, is that Columbus discovered the New World. Nothing was mentioned about his pled to take the journey to Cafe (China), the life on the sea, he took 4 trips, and his life after his journey. My littles also enjoyed the journey about this amazing man.
We enjoyed this story that was written long ago. It focused quite a bit on the great character of Columbus. On the flip side it also focused a lot more on the acquisition of wealth and gold than I would have preferred. The last few chapters to me were the most well written in the book.