Da GAMA (Exploring the World Series): Vasco Da Gama Sails around the Cape of Good Hope

Another of the new "Exploring the World" series, Da Gama portends good and useful books to follow. Vasco da Gama is placed within the golden age of the early world explorers who followed their sails in search of treasure. In this case, da Gama was sent by King Manuel of Portugal to find a sea route around Africa to India and its riches of spice. The importance of spices for the European palate is explained, followed by a description from diaries of the voyage itself. Da Gama's voyages between 1497-99 were successful in rounding the Cape of Good Hope for the first time, and in making contact with the ruler of Calicut (Calcutta.) De Gama's future dealings with this zamorin are less salutary, but they do explain centuries of continuing negative attitudes between West and East. The text is informative as well as intelligently written, and it is joined by handsomely reproduced graphics and photographs, as well as the usual end matter of glossary, index and so forth. The result is a new book highly recommended for use in lower school social studies units. 2002, Compass Point Books, $21.26. Ages 6 to 10. Reviewer:Kathleen Karr


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