DK Illustrated Book of Great Adventures

Richard Platt has written books on a number of subjects as varied as photography, ornithology and smuggling. In this exciting collection of adventure stories, he dramatically recounts the true-life exploits of outstandingly brave individuals who pushed themselves to the limits of endurance. There are three sections: Discovery, Conquest and Loot Dangerous Times in Wild Lands To the Ends of the Earth and Beyond Many of the stories are about the restless urge to wander, while others focus on desires to be famous or rich. For some adventurers, the hunger for excitement for life itself is what spurs them on to new territories and challenges. "In 1963, scientists dug up 1,000-year-old Viking objects in Newfoundland, Canada.This suggests that Vikings-perhaps even "Lucky" Leif Eriksson-really did visit America five centuries before Christopher Columbus." -pg. 7 Adventurers include: Hannibal, Leif Eriksson, Marco Polo, Ibn Battuta, Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Hernan Cortes, Benvenuto Cellini, Miguel de Cerbantes, Moll Cutpurse, Claude Duval, Alexander Selkirk, Blackbeard, James Cook, Alexander von Humboldt, Lewis and Clark, Davy Crockett, Rene Caillie, Lakshmi Bai, Burke and Wills, Ned Kelly, Mary Kingsley, Amundsen and Scott, Manfred von Richthofen, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Thor Heyerdahl, Hillary and Tenzing, Yuri Gagarin and Armstrong and Aldrin. Some of the most interesting stories: Voyage around the Cape - where it is said Vasco da Gama threw the charts and navigational instruments into the sea and declared he did not need a navigator because God alone was the master and pilot. Days later, they rounded the Cape and turned northward, up Africa's east coast. Having stood at the top of Table Mountain and almost drowned in the ocean in Cape Town, I can say his adventure must have been truly harrowing. The ocean there is wild! After that vacation, we decided to head to safer waters. The Real Robinson Crusoe - "I am cast upon a horrible desolate island, void of all hope of recovery." -Robinson Crusoe He scanned the horizon for ships until he finally saw the mastheads of two British sailing ships. To his horror, the ship disappeared into the darkness, but he was finally rescued days later. An African Adventure - Where Mary feels sorry for a leopard and tries to release it. Once the leopard was freed it moved close to her and for a moment she was terrified. After commanding the leopard to go home, it obediently turned and slunk away. A hunter hiding in a tree thought she must be a goddess to command obedience from such a dangerous animal. The illustrations bring the adventures to life. Each story is filled with gripping accounts of danger, dramatic full-color illustrations and color photographs of people, places and objects that put the stories in historical context. ~The Rebecca Review

The Illustrated Book of Great Adventures by George Sharp features a full-color jacket with drawings, paintings and photographs of great adventures. Inside it presents the activities and accomplishments of great adventurers throughout history, including the Viking explorer, Leif Erikson, and astronaut Neil Armstrong. It is very interesting with lots of full-color realistic drawings and paintings on every page to satisfy the most hungry young adventurer. A great picture book!