PinnedEnrique of Malacca Completes First Circumnavigation — by LanguageOn March 28, 1521, Enrique of Malacca became the first person to complete a linguistic circumnavigation of the globe — he traveled so far…Jan 3, 20221Jan 3, 20221
Marryat and the Mighty HMS Minden, Hong Kong Hospital ShipFrank Marryat’s first impressions of Hong Kong, of Britain’s brand-new colony, were far from positive. Marryat took issue with reports of…Dec 5, 2024Dec 5, 2024
Frank Marryat Attempts to Sketch the World (1840–1850) from Hong Kong to CaliforniaFrank Marryat (Samuel Francis ~; 1826–1855) was a traveler and writer, both of which were family professions. Marryat wrote two travelogues…Dec 2, 2024Dec 2, 2024
Instant Colony with a Dark Side: A Description of Early Hong Kong, Part 1When the British took possession of Hong Kong in 1840, their new colony consisted of just Hong Kong island, largely a baron rock except for…Nov 26, 2024Nov 26, 2024
Columbus’s Legacy Sails into New Waters on DNA Study’s Spanish, Jewish Origin ClaimsThe debate over Christopher Columbus’s legacy has entered a new dimension: A just-released DNA study says Columbus was born in the Spanish…Oct 15, 20241Oct 15, 20241
John Mandeville Medieval Travelogue Predicts Enrique of Malacca’s CircumnavigationA handful of medieval travelogues were the closest thing Ferdinand Magellan had to a travel guide when he sought a westward route to Asia —…Dec 14, 2023Dec 14, 2023
Bits of History on Book Bans: Striving for Dark AgesHold their beer, First Amendment: Illinois recently banned book bans, and California followed suit with Gov. Gavin Newsom signing…Oct 8, 2023Oct 8, 2023
A DNA Search for Columbus’s Origin: Dueling LegaciesFew historical figures have had their legacy as hotly debated as Christopher Columbus’s. Today as many cry “Tear down the statues,” others…Sep 14, 20231Sep 14, 20231
AI Estimates Phileas Fogg’s Travel Times: Was 80 Days Possible?I asked ChatGPT about Phileas Fogg’s 1873 circumnavigation of the globe in Jules Verne’s classic novel Around the World in Eighty Days:Aug 3, 2023Aug 3, 2023
Test of AI-Assisted Writing: Goodbye, Take-home Exams!Long live(d) the term paper, the book report, and the essay question. AI is here, a development that will impact teachers and professors of…Jun 23, 2023Jun 23, 2023
