A review by karireads
Travel and Discovery in the Renaissance, 1420-1620 by Boies Penrose

informative slow-paced

1.5

Written in 1952, this book includes blatantly racist statements like, including multiple references to “barbarian” cultures and the claim that a contributing cause of the decline of Portugal’s empire in Asia was (not really a spoiler, just offensive)

“racial degeneration” (“there was no strong colour prejudice among the white men (meaning they were willing to have relationships with Asian women) … resulting in the creation of a half-caste population with the weaknesses of both races and few of their better qualities”).

Also, colonialism is generally treated positively and even the most directly genocidal behavior of Europeans is only passingly condemned.

If you can overlook that (and it’s not easy to) the book is fairly readable until the last few chapters which devolve into little more than a brief description of maps and literature that resulted from the explorers discoveries.

Really cannot recommend this because of the extremely outdated racial attitudes and language.