"On 10 August 1519, five ships departed from Seville for what was to become the first circumnavigation of the globe. Named for its captain, Ferdinand Magellan, much of the expedition is known through the travel diary of one of the few crew members who returned to Spain, Antonio Pigafetta. A narrative and cartographic record of the journey, Pigafetra's First Voyage around the World is a classic of discovery and exploration literature. " "Based on the critical edition by Andrea Canova, this volume includes an extensive introduction and comprehensive annotation by Theodore J. Cachey Jr, who discusses the many extraordinary aspects of Pigafetta's story and allusions to it by writers as diverse as Shakespeare and Gabriel Garda Marquez. However, Cachey is careful to point out that Pigafetta's book is far from just an entertaining adventure-filled travel narrative. It is also a remarkably accurate ethnographic and geographical account of the voyage. Expertly presented and handsomely illustrated, this edition of Pigafetta's work is sure to enlighten and invigorate the imaginations of readers as it has done since it first appeared in print. "--Jacket.