Geographically Challenged

Back in the day I used to go a local pub that had  ‘award winning’ bangers and mash on the menu,  even the staff didn’t know anything about this award, and the meal wasn’t up to much anyway.

The day was sunny, but I was sulky.  This had to do with my usual reading table being occupied, as well as my back up reading table.  Making do with a different view and some less than satisfactory light and shooing away a work colleague who wanted to chat on a day off, I settled down to my book, accompanied by a pint of mediocre bitter.

The book in question was Hugh Thomas‘, The Conquest of Mexico. This is a weighty tome detailing how the Spanish came to the Americas and into great depth on the titular conquest itself.

I slowly became aware of a chap in my peripheral vision who seemed to be bobbing up and down whilst facing my direction.  In the end I made the mistake of looking. He was stood up but was contorting his body in an uncomfortable manner in an attempt to read the title on the spine of my book.

Making eye contact – a big mistake – he decided this was an invitation to join me.  Amiable as I was back in the day, I was happy to chat with someone who showed an interest in books.  The conversation started well as he commented not many people read in pubs, especially in our town.

Conquistadors – Michael Wood

The whole story remains incredible to anyone who has not experienced it first hand.  Indeed, it seems to overshadow all the deeds of famous people in the past, no matter how heroic, and to silence all talk of other wonders of the world. – Bartolome de las Casas, A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, 1542

Having missed the series three times purposefully, so it wouldn’t spoil the book for me – I’m just that sort of person – I absolutely loved this and still do now that I flick through its pages, last opened in 2001 sometime. As I have probably said in a review somewhere before, the BBC may have many faults, mainly to do with its extremely top heavy management hierarchy and (mostly) terribly banal programmes but for all that, it does produce a good book.

Conquistadors has all the things you would expect in a book that accompanies a TV series, clear explanatory text that isn’t dumbed down, full colour, highly detailed pictures (I’m referring to the hardback edition here) and a wealth of information that makes you want to explore the world and its history all over again.

Starting with a brief bit on the discovery of the New World, Michael Wood’s lively narrative swiftly transports us to the action of conquering, greed, ignorance and general slaughter that all culminated in great civilisations being decimated to the eternal shame of history.

Set to the back drop of such wondrous places as lake Titicaca, Macchu Picchu, The Andes, Tenochtitlan et al it is easy to see why so many people still fall in love with the exotic and fascinating stories and rumours of lost cities still out there.  Although a bit dated I derive the same pleasure from this wonderful cartoon The Mysterious Cities of Gold