The Last Voyage of Columbus

Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition Including Accounts of Swordfight, Mutiny, Shipwreck, Gold, War, Hurrican, and Discovery

By: Martin Dugard

Narrated by: Simon Jones

The Year is 1500. Christopher Columbus, stripped of his title Admiral of the Ocean Seas, waits in chains in a Caribbean prison built under his orders, looking out at the colony that he founded, nurtured, and ruled for eight years. Less than a decade after discovering the New World, he has fallen into disgrace, accused by the royal court of being a liar, a secret Jew, and a foreigner who sought to steal the riches of the New World for himself.

The tall, freckled explorer with the aquiline nose, whose flaming red hair long ago turned gray, passes his days in prayer and rumination, trying to ignore the waterfront gallows that are all too visible from his cell. And he plots for one great escape, one last voyage to the ends of the earth, one final chance to prove himself. What follows is one of history's most epic -- and forgotten -- adventures. Columbus himself would later claim that his fourth voyage was his greatest. It was without doubt his most treacherous. Of the four ships he led into the unknown, none returned. Columbus would face the worst storms a European explorer had ever encountered. He would battle to survive amid mutiny, war, and a shipwreck that left him stranded on a desert isle for almost a year.

On his tail were his enemies, sent from Europe to track him down. In front of him: the unknown. Martin Dugard's thrilling account of this final voyage brings Columbus to life as never before-adventurer, businessman, father, lover, tyrant, and hero.

Amazing Story

I have really learn a lot from this book about Columbus. I do recommend it to anybody thank you to the writer and to all the people that made this book possible, excellent job!

A great story

We have all heard of Columbus , but having listened to this book I know so much more about him and the context of his journeys. The story kept up my interest as I often regretted reaching my destination action and having to shut it down.

Columbus's tenacity

Well written and solid narration. I will recommend this book to others and may listen to in by audio again

Courageous Explorer - Undaunted Mariner

The historians and eye witnesses of Columbus’ travels give us a sample of what it was like to sail across the ocean and set foot on unknown terrain, meeting up with descendants of other mariners and explorers who had settled in the Americas and the Caribbean Islands millennia before the 1400s.

From the writings of Ether, we learn of the Jaredites who crossed the sea in 8 barges to settle in the Americas around 2000 BC after the languages were confounded at the Tower of Babel. Other migrations were made by Mulek and Lehi, circa 600 BC, as they left Jerusalem before the people there were taken into captivity by the Babylonians.

There is a vast, untapped history regarding the early inhabitants of the Americas. The encounters with the various groups of people are fascinating as we learn from the writings and histories that have been preserved.

The account of Bernal Diaz in The Conquest of New Spain is a fascinating birds-eye view of the encounters by the Spanish with the Aztecs!

In all of these histories, there is a common thread of behavior by man in his desire for adventure, fame, wealth, property, and ultimately power. Nations have been conquering nations ever since time began; seizing wealth & property, and subduing the people. The cycle repeats over and over again.

I enjoyed this book and recommend it!
JB

loved it!

I listened to it while flying to Spain and back. It was really good. It talked about the places I saw there including the tomb of Columbus.