Off the Edge of the Map Book Review

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Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
I love reading.  I grew up in a family of readers and I’m raising my own family of readers.  We enjoy reading fiction, but enjoy nonfiction just as much.  Recently I had the opportunity to read Off the Edge of the Map: Marco Polo, Captain Cook, and 9 other Travelers and Explorers That Pushed the Boundaries of the Known World.

Off the Edge of the Map is written by Michael Rank, the #1 bestselling author of History’s Greatest Generals.   Michael Rank looks at 11 diverse explorers in Off the Edge of the Map in an effort to identify traits that equip a person to step off the edge and into the unknown.

The stories and accomplishments of explorers as diverse as the Chinese Nestorian Monk Rabban Bar Sauma in the 13th century to Hernan Cortes in the 16th century and Neal Armstrong in the 20th century are thoroughly examined.   Having grown up in Hawai’i, I was particularly interested in the chapter on Captain James Cook who was the first Westerner to discover Hawai’i.  Although familiar with Captain Cook, I gained new insight into Cook’s motivations and factors that contributed to his death in Hawai’i 1779.

My 11-year old is interested in history and was quick to pick the book up to read.  He found it interesting but with its fact-filled chapters, a bit beyond his focus right now.  I’m sure that he’d enjoy it in the future or refer to it for a future school project.  My father, however, would be intrigued by Off the Edge of the Map.  My dad has always been fascinated by explorers and over the years I’ve given him several books on Lewis & Clark as gifts.  I know my dad would thoroughly enjoy Off the Edge of the Map and will be receiving it for his birthday next month (don’t tell him).  If you have someone interested in the details of history and exploration, then this is the book for you.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Susan

I’m a mom of 3, a veteran and military spouse. I’ve moved into 20+ homes all around the world. My passion is helping busy people make the space and time for what’s really important to them.