Happy Columbus Day everyone!
A paid holiday off from work is always a good thing. But not really sure why we call it Columbus Day rather than what other countries call it... it's called Discovery Day in the Bahamas (thanks Wikipedia).....
I'm reading, for the second time, "Caribbean" by Michener. I got turned onto Michener years ago when Aunt N let me borrow a big ole pile of his books that belonged to my great uncle (I'm always looking for something new). Anyway, Michener writes these historical, yet fictional, novels typically about a specific region. He stays true to historical events yet creates fictional characters to tell the story. So it's rather ironic that here it is Columbus Day and I'm reading Caribbean and have gotten to the chapter(s) about Columbus' discovery of The New World. Columbus himself is not actually in the book but rather an agent of the King of Spain is sent to the Caribbean a few years after his death to determine what sort of "ruler" Columbus was over the various early colonies so the King of Spain can decide on what sort of payment is still owed to Columbus' heirs. To make this already long story short the impression I get of Columbus is that the guy was a brute. Yes, Columbus had the vision, determination, and stones to discover the new world. However, I don't think he should have been put in charge of the colonization of this new world. The guy was an explorer not a leader. In short, the guy not only slaughtered most of the indigenous population but would execute his own people at the drop of a hat....
oh well, Happy Columbus Day!!!!
A paid holiday off from work is always a good thing. But not really sure why we call it Columbus Day rather than what other countries call it... it's called Discovery Day in the Bahamas (thanks Wikipedia).....
I'm reading, for the second time, "Caribbean" by Michener. I got turned onto Michener years ago when Aunt N let me borrow a big ole pile of his books that belonged to my great uncle (I'm always looking for something new). Anyway, Michener writes these historical, yet fictional, novels typically about a specific region. He stays true to historical events yet creates fictional characters to tell the story. So it's rather ironic that here it is Columbus Day and I'm reading Caribbean and have gotten to the chapter(s) about Columbus' discovery of The New World. Columbus himself is not actually in the book but rather an agent of the King of Spain is sent to the Caribbean a few years after his death to determine what sort of "ruler" Columbus was over the various early colonies so the King of Spain can decide on what sort of payment is still owed to Columbus' heirs. To make this already long story short the impression I get of Columbus is that the guy was a brute. Yes, Columbus had the vision, determination, and stones to discover the new world. However, I don't think he should have been put in charge of the colonization of this new world. The guy was an explorer not a leader. In short, the guy not only slaughtered most of the indigenous population but would execute his own people at the drop of a hat....
oh well, Happy Columbus Day!!!!
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
mrrek:
Yeah, Columbus has become quite the controversial figure in history. I was reading today about the schools changing their approach to how hes portayed. But hey, its still a holiday!
wsoxfan:
I've heard that Columbus was basically a sadistic bastard. We seem to glorify people for a singular accomplishment, yet tend to ignore the entire persona. This is true of many other so-called heroes in history.