Amerigo Vespucci

Florence provides the starting point for Frederick A. Ober's account of Amerigo Vespucci, the navigator whose name became attached to America. The opening traces his family's public service, trading connections and changing fortunes, placing his upbringing among the merchants and patrons of the Italian city. Ober also distinguishes the limited record of Vespucci's childhood from later stories about his early promise.

The account then turns toward Spain and voyages of discovery, bringing Vespucci into the company of Columbus, Ojeda and the pilot Juan de la Cosa. A passage on Ojeda's expedition describes its financing, ships and route along the South American coast. Letters and earlier historical accounts help frame the discussion of Vespucci's reputation and the naming of America. Readers interested in exploration history can follow how personal biography, maritime enterprise and debates about historical credit meet in one account.