Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
William Morrow (2008), Edition: First Edition, 384 pages
Description
The brilliance of the Renaissance laid the foundation of the modern world. Textbooks tell us that it came about as a result of a rediscovery of the ideas and ideals of classical Greece and Rome. But now bestselling historian Gavin Menzies makes the startling argument that in the year 1434, China--then the world's most technologically advanced civilization--provided the spark that set the European Renaissance ablaze. From that date onward, Europeans embraced Chinese intellectual ideas, discoveries, and inventions, all of which form the basis of western civilization today.--From amazon.com.
User reviews
LibraryThing member hopespringsbiblio
He’s done it again!
Gavin Menzies’s “1434” hits a boundary six (a homerun for Americans who aren’t familiar with cricket) in the game of challenging wisdom delivered by conventional historigraphers. Following in the wake of his controversial “1421 — The Year China Discovered America”
Menzies’s latest look at Chinese influence on western civilization turns conventional scholarship on its head, just like the ancient maps that ‘orient’ the picture of the world with south on the top, north on the bottom.
“1421” pioneered some of the most innovative approaches of yoking the static information of the printed page to the fluid evolution of website interplay, generating hundreds of thousands of emails and scores of vitally important new discoveries. “1434” promises to take the medium to the next stage.
The hypothesis is stated boldly. The Italian renaissance seems to spring out of the early 15th century without precedent. Advances in science, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, engineering, painting, sculpture, commerce … they all seem to explode as if the requisite fuel was ignited by a spark plug.
Instead of marveling at the serendipitous admixture of volatile gas and air, Menzies seeks the spark plug.
He finds it in the hitherto little-known or overlooked visit of a Chinese embassy to the Papal Court which had moved in 1434 to Florence. From the Chinese, Menzies argues, flowed the vast treasure of ideas that made possible the unprecedented rise in European civilization, exploration and worldwide domination.
It was a near run thing.
A series of natural disasters, including a recently discovered monstrous tsunami that destroyed the vast ocean-going Chinese treasure fleets, and cataclysmic fire that destroyed the Forbidden City, coupled with domestic introversion took China out of the international sphere. Sophisticated engineering skills and intellectual capital accumulated in the east all but disappeared from the written record. What remained in the west was claimed as its own.
The histories that were written, the histories that were taught, ignored the accomplishments of the “heathen” Chinese. The reports of adventurers like Marco Polo were relegated to myth. No longer. Menzies puts Toscanelli, Alberti, Nicholas of Cusa, Regiomontanus, Fontana, Pisanello, Taccola, Di Giorgi … even Leonardo da Vinci into the post-1434 spectrum of Chinese beneficiaries.
Historians may challenge Menzies’s broad hypothesis, his startling conclusions, his many and bold submissions. But they will have to deal with his uncomfortable facts. His genius lies in his breadth of vision: a new way of seeing facts that previous historians have relegated to “anomalies” that do not fit the model.
Copernicus did not invent the heliocentric view of astronomy, planets revolving around the sun; that laurel must go to Aristarchus who proposed it 1700 years earlier, (without success). What Copernicus did, by compiling thousands of observations (some of which were wrong), was create an alternative to the universally accepted Ptolemaic model of geocentrism, all planets revolving around the earth. As astronomers added to the data, the need for deferents and epicycles to explain “anomalies” fell away. The new model proved itself.
Anyone with a love of science, adventure and good old-fashioned detective work will delight in this new work of this ex-submariner from the Royal Navy. Better yet, there’s promise of a further book in the works: based on evidence suggesting the great Chinese admiral Zheng He ended his days in North Carolina.
Up periscope!
Gavin Menzies’s “1434” hits a boundary six (a homerun for Americans who aren’t familiar with cricket) in the game of challenging wisdom delivered by conventional historigraphers. Following in the wake of his controversial “1421 — The Year China Discovered America”
Show More
Menzies has again assembled the most extraordinary collection of data and given us a new way to connect the dots.Menzies’s latest look at Chinese influence on western civilization turns conventional scholarship on its head, just like the ancient maps that ‘orient’ the picture of the world with south on the top, north on the bottom.
“1421” pioneered some of the most innovative approaches of yoking the static information of the printed page to the fluid evolution of website interplay, generating hundreds of thousands of emails and scores of vitally important new discoveries. “1434” promises to take the medium to the next stage.
The hypothesis is stated boldly. The Italian renaissance seems to spring out of the early 15th century without precedent. Advances in science, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, engineering, painting, sculpture, commerce … they all seem to explode as if the requisite fuel was ignited by a spark plug.
Instead of marveling at the serendipitous admixture of volatile gas and air, Menzies seeks the spark plug.
He finds it in the hitherto little-known or overlooked visit of a Chinese embassy to the Papal Court which had moved in 1434 to Florence. From the Chinese, Menzies argues, flowed the vast treasure of ideas that made possible the unprecedented rise in European civilization, exploration and worldwide domination.
It was a near run thing.
A series of natural disasters, including a recently discovered monstrous tsunami that destroyed the vast ocean-going Chinese treasure fleets, and cataclysmic fire that destroyed the Forbidden City, coupled with domestic introversion took China out of the international sphere. Sophisticated engineering skills and intellectual capital accumulated in the east all but disappeared from the written record. What remained in the west was claimed as its own.
The histories that were written, the histories that were taught, ignored the accomplishments of the “heathen” Chinese. The reports of adventurers like Marco Polo were relegated to myth. No longer. Menzies puts Toscanelli, Alberti, Nicholas of Cusa, Regiomontanus, Fontana, Pisanello, Taccola, Di Giorgi … even Leonardo da Vinci into the post-1434 spectrum of Chinese beneficiaries.
Historians may challenge Menzies’s broad hypothesis, his startling conclusions, his many and bold submissions. But they will have to deal with his uncomfortable facts. His genius lies in his breadth of vision: a new way of seeing facts that previous historians have relegated to “anomalies” that do not fit the model.
Copernicus did not invent the heliocentric view of astronomy, planets revolving around the sun; that laurel must go to Aristarchus who proposed it 1700 years earlier, (without success). What Copernicus did, by compiling thousands of observations (some of which were wrong), was create an alternative to the universally accepted Ptolemaic model of geocentrism, all planets revolving around the earth. As astronomers added to the data, the need for deferents and epicycles to explain “anomalies” fell away. The new model proved itself.
Anyone with a love of science, adventure and good old-fashioned detective work will delight in this new work of this ex-submariner from the Royal Navy. Better yet, there’s promise of a further book in the works: based on evidence suggesting the great Chinese admiral Zheng He ended his days in North Carolina.
Up periscope!
Show Less
LibraryThing member jcbrunner
1434 is the horrible sequel to Gavin Menzies' bestselling 1421, which already went way beyond the facts (aka fibbing) to "support" its thesis. At least, Menzies promoted the achievements of the Chinese medieval fleet and Zheng He around the world. The commercial success of that venture led the
Gavin Menzies' second book is dishonest, shoddy and lazy beyond repair. The level of ignorance is stunning and hits you machine-gun style: "In the 1430s, Europeans had no unified calendar, for they had not yet agreed how to measure time. The Gregorian calendar did not come into use until a century later." Never heard of the Julian calendar, proposed by Gaius Julius Caesar, inventor of the Cesar salad? Obviously, the editors and account managers at HarperCollins haven't either or were blinded by those shiny, shiny coins. This is history's equivalent to Creationism. It is only fitting that HarperCollins is also the publisher of Sarah Palin's Going Rogue, going rogue on facts and reality. Well, there is a sucker born every minute. Fortunately, I did not spend any money on this icky title.
Show More
author and his publisher HarperCollins to produce this titanic shipwreck. Given the equally flawed sequel Superfreakonimcs, HarperCollins has massive quality control issues bordering on intellectual prostitution.Gavin Menzies' second book is dishonest, shoddy and lazy beyond repair. The level of ignorance is stunning and hits you machine-gun style: "In the 1430s, Europeans had no unified calendar, for they had not yet agreed how to measure time. The Gregorian calendar did not come into use until a century later." Never heard of the Julian calendar, proposed by Gaius Julius Caesar, inventor of the Cesar salad? Obviously, the editors and account managers at HarperCollins haven't either or were blinded by those shiny, shiny coins. This is history's equivalent to Creationism. It is only fitting that HarperCollins is also the publisher of Sarah Palin's Going Rogue, going rogue on facts and reality. Well, there is a sucker born every minute. Fortunately, I did not spend any money on this icky title.
Show Less
LibraryThing member ros.peters
Not bad as far as history books go. Offers some interesting ideas with regard to the Renaissance in Europe. Even if not all the ideas prove to be truel, it certainly paints the Chinese as a superior nation who were more advanced than the rest of the world at this point in time (1434). Food for
Show More
thought. Show Less
LibraryThing member rajaratnam
Not as persuasive as '1421 : The year China discovered the world.' Seems highly improbable that the most advanced 'nation' in the world would give away its technological advantage. Yet, it is interesting to know about the extent of Chinese knowledge.
LibraryThing member wolffamily
A look at China and it's explorers - funded by the National Geographic - Rich
LibraryThing member vernefan
Gavin Menzies' newest book 1434, takes up where he left off in his prior book 1421, that was focused on the voyages of the Chinese navigator Admiral Zheng He. Menzies picks up the thread in this outstanding new history book continuing to show new evidence of Zheng He's influence to other European
1434 presents startling information, that is more than likely and highly plausible, regarding the fact that Admiral Zheng He did reach America close to 80 years prior to Christopher Columbus. Menzies backs up his evidence and feasible speculations with maps, logbooks, and letters from other explorers who all had copies of maps that more than likely originated from the maps of Zheng He. Through these maps, Menzies follows the history of many voyages, traces DNA lineage from various world port civilizations, evaluates artifacts found, and comes up with some very credible ideas that are worth noting.
This book also details many other aspects of the Chinese influence to Europe through Menzies' incredible research. 1434 reveals uncanny knowledge that compares early thoughts on astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, physics and mechanical engineering. Within these pages, the reader can view side by side, many illustrations of mechanical inventions such as siege weapons, parachutes, grinding machines and printing presses, that until now were believed to be created by Leonardo Da Vinci and other brilliant Renaissance men. With these fascinating presentations, it's hard to not realize that the early historians could have been wrong, when in truth; most of all mechanisms shown in the book were initially invented by the Chinese and then introduced to Europe by Zheng He himself. Menzies' new findings that appear to be more than coincidence, offer up a wealth of knowledge, provide serious thought, and are beyond difficult to believe untrue. His in-depth research extends to the belief that these new thoughts stretch to the idea that the works of Leonardo and other inventors were simply enhancements to the diagrams given to them by the Chinese, and not original creations.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, found Menzies' research to be extensive and thought-provoking. The chapters on cartography, and the voyages of Admiral Zheng He fascinated me. Other newly found shocking tidbits revealed here made me wonder if perhaps the scholars will now be rewriting the history books. I found 1434 intriguing and fun to explore. This book is well written, inspiring, and presented nicely with three sections of color inserts showing illustrations and maps to enhance the book's readability. I can highly recommend this book and give it 4 stars.
Show More
countries, specifically Italy at the time of the Renaissance.1434 presents startling information, that is more than likely and highly plausible, regarding the fact that Admiral Zheng He did reach America close to 80 years prior to Christopher Columbus. Menzies backs up his evidence and feasible speculations with maps, logbooks, and letters from other explorers who all had copies of maps that more than likely originated from the maps of Zheng He. Through these maps, Menzies follows the history of many voyages, traces DNA lineage from various world port civilizations, evaluates artifacts found, and comes up with some very credible ideas that are worth noting.
This book also details many other aspects of the Chinese influence to Europe through Menzies' incredible research. 1434 reveals uncanny knowledge that compares early thoughts on astronomy, mathematics, philosophy, physics and mechanical engineering. Within these pages, the reader can view side by side, many illustrations of mechanical inventions such as siege weapons, parachutes, grinding machines and printing presses, that until now were believed to be created by Leonardo Da Vinci and other brilliant Renaissance men. With these fascinating presentations, it's hard to not realize that the early historians could have been wrong, when in truth; most of all mechanisms shown in the book were initially invented by the Chinese and then introduced to Europe by Zheng He himself. Menzies' new findings that appear to be more than coincidence, offer up a wealth of knowledge, provide serious thought, and are beyond difficult to believe untrue. His in-depth research extends to the belief that these new thoughts stretch to the idea that the works of Leonardo and other inventors were simply enhancements to the diagrams given to them by the Chinese, and not original creations.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, found Menzies' research to be extensive and thought-provoking. The chapters on cartography, and the voyages of Admiral Zheng He fascinated me. Other newly found shocking tidbits revealed here made me wonder if perhaps the scholars will now be rewriting the history books. I found 1434 intriguing and fun to explore. This book is well written, inspiring, and presented nicely with three sections of color inserts showing illustrations and maps to enhance the book's readability. I can highly recommend this book and give it 4 stars.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Chris177
A book that asks the reader to look at history in a whole new way! The author, Gavin Menzies, tells us the story behind his research on the meeting of West and East in the year 1434. To accept this theory, one would have to rewrite the history books. To tell you the truth I don’t know what to
Show More
think of this book. Do I believe that the people of the Earth have traveled, met and exchanged ideas more than is currently accepted? Sure! Does that mean that a giant fleet of Chinese ships sailed to Italy, taught them everything found in the Renaissance, and then no one recorded it in the history books? That is a long stretch. But there are long breaks in world history that have not been filled in yet. Many mainstream historians do not agree with Mr. Menzies’s theory and that does not bother me; breakthroughs by definition go against general accepted theory. What bothers me is that many historians do not believe that Mr. Menzies’s research is reputable, and that is unacceptable. But how do you know if one’s research is reputable or not if you are not a historian? I guess time may be the best answer. If the fleet did sail, and knowledge was exchanged, there should be traces somewhere. Time may tell us if this is truth or fantasy. Show Less
LibraryThing member yvonne.sevignykaiser
Interesting read a little top heavy to start but once you get into the latter part of the book it begins to pick up.
LibraryThing member RickGeissal
This is non-fiction about the great impact that the explorations & trade of Chinese people with people in the Mid-East, Europe & the Americas prior to 1434, when the Emperor forbade any further voyages. He recounts a great deal of evidence that he & others have developed (mostly others who were or
Another part of this book was convincing evidence that several southern European explorers & traders had been to the Americas prior to Columbus, that it was well-known among seafarers that the world was round, and further that Columbus & Magellan had maps of the Americas prior to their first voyages to "The New World" that included specifics such as the strait now called The Strait of Magellan through which Magellan sailed from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Show More
are archeologists, sociologists & anthropologists). Some of what he discloses about Chinese voyagers in the Americas had appeared in his earlier 1491: New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus. To me, what he uncovered and made known about Chinese people in Europe, particularly in Italy, was revelatory for me; and he backed up these disclosures not only with physical evidence, such as coins, silks & bones, but also genetics & written materials by contemporaneous writers of the 14th & 15th Centuries. Another part of this book was convincing evidence that several southern European explorers & traders had been to the Americas prior to Columbus, that it was well-known among seafarers that the world was round, and further that Columbus & Magellan had maps of the Americas prior to their first voyages to "The New World" that included specifics such as the strait now called The Strait of Magellan through which Magellan sailed from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Physical description
384 p.; 9 inches
ISBN
0061492175 / 9780061492174