The Story

This book takes you from Columbus's early struggles to get anyone to fund his crazy idea—sailing west to reach the East—all the way through his four grueling voyages across the Atlantic. Young doesn't just list dates and places. He puts you on the deck of the Santa Maria, feeling the crew's fear and the captain's iron will. We follow Columbus as he makes first contact, establishes a colony, and grapples with the immense and often brutal realities of governing a 'New World' he never truly understood. The story continues through his falling out with the Spanish crown, his later voyages plagued by misfortune, and his final, diminished years.

Why You Should Read It

I loved this because it reads like a novel, not a dry history. Young has a real talent for character. His Columbus is brilliant, stubborn, pious, and tragically arrogant—a man whose greatest strength was also his fatal flaw. You get the full scope: the awe of discovery and the dark shadow of conquest that followed. It doesn't shy away from the suffering of the Taíno people or the political nightmares of the new colonies. It presents the whole, complicated picture, letting you form your own judgments.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who loves a true-life adventure story with profound consequences. If you enjoyed books like In the Heart of the Sea or are fascinated by complex historical figures, you'll be hooked. It's a fantastic, readable deep-dive for the curious general reader who wants to move beyond the textbook cartoon and meet the real, complicated man who connected two worlds.