WHO DISCOVERED AMERICA? The Untold History of the Peopling of the Americas

Building on his book about ancient Chinese sea voyages, navigator and researcher Gavin Menzies focuses on the earliest visitors to the New World, long before Columbus. Narrator Gildart Jackson offers an inviting reading, virtually becoming Menzies, especially in the sections that amount to travelogues. Jackson’s facility with Chinese, Spanish, and Italian names and places is especially impressive. He carries the text well, even when the author overloads it with details. The book is rich in detail, but its reliance on maps, charts, and photos (available online) makes the book a problem for on-the-go listeners. Overall, though, Jackson’s fluid and engaging style makes listening easier despite the book’s shortcomings. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2013]