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The New York Times bestselling author of 1421 presents compelling new evidence that the European Renaissance was spurred in large part by Chinese advances in science, art, and technology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (59)

Amazing
I thought this book was amazing.It elaborates on the learning of the Chinese before the Renaissance.This will be emotionally difficult for westerners to listen to because we have been taught that all scientific learning started in Europe and spread to the rest of the world.However, it was already well known that Guttenberg was not the first to invent movable type; the Chinese had it long before. Of course the Chinese invented gunpowder; any reasonably well-educated person would know that. At the time of the early Renaissance, the Chinese had nearly 5,000 years of continuous cultural history while Europe had gone through centuries where learning and literacy were treated as suspect and dangerous since reading the Bible by common people would have reduced the power of the church over their lives.This book gives a credible explanation of the seeding of Chinese engineering and knowledge into the European renaissance; more credible than to believe that a few smart guys in Italy and Germany thought up new ideas about physics, math, chemistry, astronomy, and engineering out of thin air with no guide.To do science and engineering, you need math, and a mathematical mind. European scholars based their mathematical understandings on Roman numerals. Roman numerals were preferred for accounting because it was harder to fake financial records with them, but they are difficult and cumbersome for doing complex mathematical calculations.One of the other reviews complains that it could not have all happened in one year:Menzies does not say it did.He discusses Chinese trips to the Europe taking place over nearly 100 years, with 1434 being toward the end of that period. It is not an easy read, and if you make it to the end, the last section, about the background of the Conquistadors, was also enlightening.

1434 - gavin menzies
An amazing book - a real revelation of the gigantic role of China in 15th century European development, and supported by a depth of reaseach and scholarship that is amazing.Must read best with 1421 by same author that catalogues the stupendous navigation accomplishments of China before the well-publicised voyage of European explorers who benefitted covertly from the Chinese maps.

1434: The Year a Magnificent Chinese Fleet...
So far I have read through Chapt 4. There are issues! One glaring problem is his understanding of "sidereal time" vs "solar time." I would recommend that any believer read a introductory college text on astronomy.

Many years ago I taught Astron 101 from one authored by Abell. It was understandable. There are others that are as good.

The difference between Sun time and sidereal time is one day / year. This difference comes about because the earth makes 364 rotations, but revolves in the same direction on its once / year course about the Sun. It helps if the reader understands that a day is defined between the positions when the Sun is directly overhead. So 364 rotations + one revolution = 365 overhead Sun positions per year.

The description on Pg 35 of "1434" is incorrect. There is no "slip." The 4 minutes / day difference amounts to one day / year. Even my 12 year old calculator gets a 1.01 day difference between sidereal time and Sun time / year.

Several profs are mentioned as helping with this description. I suggest they might audit Astron 101.

More Details on China's Knowledge Base
1434 adds many more details, beyond 1421, about the Chinese accomplishments.This book indicates amazing creativity so many years ago.The new info on the Tsunami in early 1400's that swamped so many Chinese boats in the Pacific reveals the extent of their expeditions and trade.

Hastily Put Together
"1434" is a major disappointment:badly written, and overwrought with technical detail.It's an interesting read because it shows how closely interconnected the world was even back in 1434.

But I had major issues with Gavin Menzies' main argument that the Chinese, by sailing to Italy and transferring technology to the Italians, ignited the Renaissance.I would think that the Italians' republicanism and capitalism fueled the Renaissance. The Chinese may have provided the Italians with ideas, but it takes an open and progressive people to accept and implement them.For the past two centuries, China has lagged far behind the West, and technology transfer has constantly flowed from West to East.But new ideas could not find root, breathe, and grow in China.

The Renaissance was not just about ideas and technology -- it was more about attitude and openness.And if that's something that Admiral Zheng He could have brought back to China then that would have been more valuable than all the gold, the slaves, and the art in the world.

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Publisher: Little, Brown, ... Read more

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This guide features the best hotels and restaurants from deluxe to budget and includes region-by-region coverage of all areas. Background essays are included on the art, history and food and wine of Italy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Disappointing choice
I've used several different brands of travel guides in Europe, the U.S. and Asia and have always found the Fodor's offerings to be comprehensive and useful. That is the reason I'm so disappointed in this book. As a travel guide it is not inexpensive but it does not contain such basic information as lodging options near major train stations, suggestions for low cost lodging away from major tourist haunts, the quirky eating options I've always found in Fodor's other books, or the standard opening times for major sites. For example, Vatican City sites are not listed except in the most superficial way. And, how jaded a traveler must you be to consider St. Peter's a plain church with no important art, as this writer describes it? Michelangelo's Pieta is there! They should have spent less on glossy color photos and more on useful information.

If you're going to Italy get a different book.

A feast for your Eyes
Fodor's Exploring Italy is a beautiful guide book. I have several others and this one is a delight to browse through. I am planning a trip to Italy and this helps with my itinerary. The numerous colored photographs are onereason I purchased it.The only downside is it's lack of depth in itsaccomodations and restaurant reviews. But for a purely visual guidebook,this is the one! ... Read more

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From the wealthy cities of the north to the parched olive groves of the south, Italians are rising to the challenge of European Union membership. And their lives are changing in other ways, too. Agriculture and manufacturing were once Italy's main employers, but today over half of all Italians work in service industries such as tourism and information technology. Environmental awareness is increasing, and both companies and individuals are taking responsibility for looking after Italy's natural resources. Meet the people of Italy, and learn about the diversity of their lives, from a student in Ravenna to a fisherman in Comacchio. Includes maps and graphic panels showing statistics and fact boxes about size, flag, population, religion, currency and language.> ... Read more

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Italy's physical and human geography and social situation are explained in this book through the use of maps, fact boxes, photo notes and gazetteer. ... Read more

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One of a regularly updated series designed for the independent traveller. This guide to Southern Italy is written with local knowledge. It includes regional and city maps, hotel and dining recommendations, a historical overview, and sightseeing details. ... Read more

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Become a detective and discover information about an interesting destination using photos, figures and facts.This book helps you discover what it is like to live in Italy.Find out what the countryside looks like and what people do for fun.Discover what Italian cities are like and what Italian people eat.You will also learn how to travel to websites that will lead you to additional facts about your destination. ... Read more

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Italy is a country in Southern Europe.It is a peninsula that reaches into the Mediterranean Sea.Italy’s landscape is rugged and mountainous, but there are also some plains and areas of low land near the coast. The weather in Italy is generally cold i

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Uses the numbers one through ten in Italian to introduce aspects of the history and culture of Italy. ... Read more

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From the authors' introduction: "In this album we present five of the best known and most beautiful cities of Umbria [one of the twenty regions of Italy]. With their wonderful monuments, their fascinating history, their traditions, their culture and art, they are justly the boast of this Region and worthily represent all its other towns and villages - and they are numerous - which are enriched like Perugia, Assisi, Gubbio, Orvieto, and Spoleto with exceptional historical monuments and marvellous scenic views." New English edition, brimming with vibrant color photos of monuments, architecture and landscapes. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Human Biology, published by Wayne State University Press on April 1, 1996. The length of the article is 5260 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: KEY WORDS: mtDNA, SEQUENCE POLYMORPHISM, GENE GENEALOGIES, GENE FLOW, LANGUAGE BARRIERS, POPULATION STRUCTURE

Citation Details
Title: Mitochondrial DNA sequence variation across linguistic and geographic boundaries in Italy.
Author: Guido Barbujani
Publication: Human Biology (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 1996
Publisher: Wayne State University Press
Volume: v68Issue: n2Page: p201(15)

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This digital document is an article from Human Biology, published by Wayne State University Press on December 1, 1999. The length of the article is 3700 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: KEY WORDS: ISONYMY, ISOLATION BY DISTANCE, ITALY, SWITZERLAND, GERMANY, SURNAME DISTRIBUTION

Citation Details
Title: Isonymy and Isolation by Distance in Italy.(Statistical Data Included)
Author: I. Barrai
Publication: Human Biology (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 1999
Publisher: Wayne State University Press
Volume: 71Issue: 6Page: 947

Article Type: Statistical Data Included

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Describes the geography, people, industry, culture, and daily life of Italy. ... Read more

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A detailed guide to travel in Italy features suggested itineraries, a calendar of events, a checklist of highlights, costs, background reading recommendations, hotel and restaurant selections, walking tours, maps, and more. ... Read more

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Describes some distinct features of life in Italy and, in particular, such cities as Rome, Florence, Genoa, Milan, Venice, and Pompeii. ... Read more