Book: Great Explorers in English

Robin Hanbury-Tenison, autor knihy Great Explorers, je považovaný za jedného z najvýznamnejších objaviteľov minulého storočia. V svojom diele sa sústredil na portréty 40 najvýznamnejších ľudí, ktorí sa nebáli pustiť do poznávania nepoznaného na oceánoch ( Columbus, Da Gama, Magellan), na zemi ( de Soto, Przewalski, Burton), na riekach (Mackensie, Livingstone, Stanley), v polárnych ľadoch (Amundsen, Herbert, Wilson), na púšti (Bell, Philby, Sturt). Všíma si však i vedcov objaviteľov (Humboldt, Wallace) a novodobých objaviteľom vesmíru (Gagarin) a hlbín (Custeau).

Na 304 stranách knihy ( 24,5 x 18,5 cm) nájdete okrem zaujímavého textu vyše dvesto kvalitných ilustrácii.

Certain people have always been inspired to explore the limits of the known world and beyond, changing our perception of our surroundings through their courageous adventures, and revealing the planet to us.

What drove such great explorers on? 40 of the greatest are described here in penetrating biographies – their lives, motives and passions. Many of them recounted their journeys themselves in vivid first-hand accounts; others were superb artists and photographers.

The book is illustrated with more than 200 beautiful paintings, photographs, engravings and maps, as well as quotations, so we can experience the adventures through the explorers' own eyes and in their own words.

• Victorian artist and explorer Marianne North only began her voyages at the age of 40
• Francis Garnier went to extreme lengths and near insanity to follow the course of the Mekong river
• Edward Wilson twice travelled with Scott to reach the South Pole, dying with him after they were beaten to their goal by Amundsen
• Nain Singh walked huge distances to map the forbidden land of Tibet, counting every pace
• Yuri Gagarin took perhaps the greatest leap into uncharted territory in his tiny space capsule.

Written by an international team of distinguished travel writers, broadcasters and historians, the book opens 500 years ago, when the great era of recorded exploration began while sections look at The Land, Rivers, Polar Ice, Deserts, Life on Earth and New Frontiers.