WESTWARD WITH COLUMBUS

Inspired by a Spanish scholar's belief that contradictions in Columbus's diary imply that the explorer sailed a more southerly route than is generally believed--and that he had a secret chart to guide him--the author and the photographer, in the summer of 1990, retraced his voyage aboard a replica of the Nina. Columbus: For Gold, God and Glory is their full report; this account for younger readers features plenty of color paintings and photos, several side essay, and an easily read text. Six of the eight chapters recount Columbus's first voyage as seen through the eyes of a fictional young crew member, making the modern journey something of a subplot here; still, the reasoning is summarized clearly and concisely and, though Columbus is presented as a heroic figure, the subsequent depredation of the New World is not glossed over. Certainly one of a large crowd, but with a different slant. Glossary; brief bibliography.