Fleming, Fergus. Off the map; tales of endurance and exploration.FLEMING, Fergus. Off the map; tales of endurance and exploration. Grove Press. 518p. illus. bibliog. index. c2004. 0-8021-4272-9. $16.00. SA * Narrative historian Fergus Fleming offers 45 stories, beginning with Marco Polo's foray into Verb 1. foray into - enter someone else's territory and take spoils; "The pirates raided the coastal villages regularly" raid encroach upon, intrude on, obtrude upon, invade - to intrude upon, infringe, encroach on, violate; "This new colleague invades my China in 1271 and ending with Umberto Nobile's journey to the North Pole North Pole, northern end of the earth's axis, lat. 90°N. It is distinguished from the north magnetic pole. U.S. explorer Robert E. Peary is traditionally credited as being the first to reach (1909) the North Pole. In 1926, Richard E. by airship airship, an aircraft that consists of a cigar-shaped gas bag, or envelope, filled with a lighter-than-air gas to provide lift, a propulsion system, a steering mechanism, and a gondola accommodating passengers, crew, and cargo. in 1928. The time between is divided into three ages: reconnaissance, from 1271-1687; inquiry, from 1725-1859; and endeavor, from 1860-1928. Stories are limited to geographical discovery and not just exciting tales, so there are omissions. However, familiar names are here, such as Magellan, Columbus, Henry Hudson, Rene La Salle La Salle, city (1990 pop. 9,717), La Salle co., N Ill., on the Illinois River; settled 1830, inc. 1852. It forms a tricity unit with Peru and Oglesby. Corn, wheat, and soybeans are grown, and cattle and hogs are raised. , Lewis and Clark, James Cook, Vitus Bering, Robert Peary, Ernest Shackleton, David Livingston, and Roald Amundsen. These explorers are mostly white male Europeans, though Fleming includes the wanderings of Ibn Battuta, who went on the hajj hajj (häj), the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, one of the five basic requirements (arkan or "pillars") of Islam. Its annual observance corresponds to the major holy day id al-adha, to Mecca in 1325. The stories contain details about cannibalism cannibalism (kăn`ĭbəlĭzəm) [Span. caníbal, referring to the Carib], eating of human flesh by other humans. , a polar bear attack, alcohol poisoning, a record temperature of 90 below during the search for the Northwest Passage, disease, slavery and starvation, and the "seamier aspects" of colonization. A primary source bibliography and lengthy index as well as illustrations are included in this eminently readable volume. Janet Julian, English Teacher (retired), Grafton, MA S--Recommend for senior high school students. A--Recommend for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries. *--The asterisk highlights exceptional books. |
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