Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus' long shadow has been vastly diminished: no longer exclusively seen as the brave explorer sailing uncharted seas, many people today consider him a genocidist. This entry in Schlessinger Media's 13-part Explorers of the World series strikes a tone that is neither too shrilly revisionist nor too hagiographic. Columbus did make a lot of mistakes, many of them with catastrophic consequences for people other than himself--and they are fairly and truthfully represented here--yet, as we also learn, ideas about social justice were considerably different 500 years ago. The actor who plays Columbus does a wonderful job of projecting the egotism of the man while somehow remaining charming. Alas, his teenaged interlocutors come across very woodenly, and the disembodied history teacher's voice-over floating in and out was an affectation that could and should have been avoided. Otherwise, this is a well-rounded presentation of an important explorer, who still gets the credit for stumbling across the New World and publicizing its existence. The other titles in the series are: The American Frontier, Cortés & Pizarro, English Explorers, Ferdinand Magellan, French Explorers, Henry Hudson, History of Exploration, Lewis & Clark, Marco Polo, Portuguese Explorers, Spanish Explorers and The Vikings. Strongly recommended, especially given the scope and affordable price. Aud: J, H, P. (R. Reagan)