Wreckers

Simon Park

Wreckers sinks the old narratives of imperialism, revealing the violent, chaotic and improvised reality of empire-building from the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries. While figures such as Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan are celebrated for their maritime achievements - reaching the Americas, India, and circumnavigating the globe - focusing solely on these voyages distorts our perspective on the past. Many explorers ended up as castaways, clinging to the splintered timbers of their wrecked ships, while those who survived often faced resistance and ridicule from indigenous communities across the globe. Drawing on maritime stories from various languages and continents - from Brazil and Southeast Africa to India and the Philippines - 'Wreckers' shares dramatic tales of the sea and the events on land that followed.

Author(s): Park, Simon
Binding: Hardback
Date of Publication: 17/04/2025
Pagination: 368 pages
Series: N/A
Imprint: Viking
Published By: Viking
Book Classification: Maritime history|Colonialism & imperialism|Social impact of disasters|European history|Ships & boats: general interest
Dimensions: 242x161x29
Weight: 519
ISBN13\EAN\SKU: 9780241741320