The Lost Island of Columbus: Solving the Mystery of Guanahani

by Keith A. Pickering

On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus set foot on the shore of a new island in a New World, the first part of America seen by any European since the time of the Vikings. Columbus named that island San Salvador, but the gentle Lucayan people who lived there called it Guanahani. Less than three days later, Columbus sailed away from Guanahaní, never to return. The events of those days, on that island, forever altered the course of human history in ways that we are still feeling today. But as Columbus’s three ships disappeared over the horizon, the island of Guanahani itself faded into the mists of time.

For five hundred years, the location and identity of Guanahani remained a mystery. For the last two hundred years, the actual site of Guanahani, Columbus’s first landfall, has been the subject of controversy. Dozens of historians, geographers, and mariners have claimed to know the answer – or claimed that the answer was unknowable. And though all agree that it was somewhere in the Bahamas, ten different islands have been proposed as Guanahaní at various times by various theorists.

The range of subjects bearing on this mystery is extraordinarily broad: anthropology, astronomy, botany, cartography, metrology, geomagnetism, oceanography, and seamanship are just some of the topics that a serious student of the problem must be prepared to grapple with. Most of the historical evidence rests on a foundation of documents in handwritten sixteenth century Spanish, plus a few place names in the lost language of the Lucayans.

This book is the story of that mystery and of those who tried to solve it. It is the story of how the scientific method can be successfully applied to historical problems. And in a small way it is also the author's story, because he was one of the detectives who cracked the case.

204 pages, Paperback

Published May 2, 2017

Reviews

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I've always had an interest towards Christopher Columbus, his voyage to the new world and the era he lived in but I've got to admit I almost knew nothing about the mystery that is Guanahani. So I did learn quite a few things that I hadn't know before. I really liked that.

It was also clear that it was very well-written and researched so this book and the author definitely gets bonus points for that. And I like how the scientific method can be successfully applied to historical problems, as it says in the synopsis.

But I found myself getting easily distracted because the book dragged just a little bit and the scientific stuff was sometimes confusing to me. Though this doesn't change the fact that The Lost Island of Columbus: Solving the Mystery of Guanahani by Keith A. Pickering was a very interesting and enlightening nonfiction.

[Annette · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve never heard about an island of Guanahani. So it is always interesting to learn something new. However, the style of writing is very pretense, sometimes coming across arrogant, instead of simply stating facts and supporting them.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had no idea there was an on going debate about where Columbus landed in the new world. When I visited St. Croix, they seemed pretty sure he had come ashore at Salt River landing site we visited. Who knew there was an island that he was not clear about! Well,Keith Pickering is sure he's solved the mystery (though the debate still seems to be ongoing...) and if you can get past Pickering's gloating and crowing, you'll find it's not a bad read and may even have solve the mystery of where Columbus landed. Though knowing historians, more research and proof will be needed. Hard evidence that everyone accepts, that is...

I received a Kindle ARC from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author's investigation into the landfall debate is more than impressive, but his book is a little tedious at times. It is brimming with arguments in support of his theory, and yet this makes it often quite unreadable. Furthermore, his history of the landfall debate sounds rather arrogant. He clearly views himself as a champion of a long game, and is smirking at the losers he has left in his wake.

Nevertheless, it is quite an interesting book even if sometimes a bit hard to stomach. It can't be denied that his work on the landfall debate is impressive.