With Il Gazzettino the book on travelers in America

The series “closes #with #the volume #on #the AmericasThe Serenissima discovering #the world“, which is #on newsstands from tomorrow, at #the price of 7.90 euros plus #the newspaper. Its author is Davide Busato, who illustrates his work #in this way: «The fourth volume #on #the Americas required a considerable commitment #in researching material unpublished linked to #the discovery of #the New World. Narrating #the journey of Antonio Pigafetta, included #in #the economy of #the volume, was complex: it was necessary to provide details and curiosities without leaving anything out. #The narration of #the experience of #the Zen brothers and #the Cabotos was enriched through multiple sources, including #the University of Bristol project, which investigates English and Italian archival funds to reveal #the mysteries linked to #the disappearance of Giovanni Caboto”.

Venice was never an Atlantic power, but there were some Venetians, or subjects of #the republic, #in #the enterprises that led #the Europeans to conquer #the Americas and massacre #the Indians. «The eyes of #the conquistadors», Busato underlines, «were represented through Pedro de Candia, a citizen of #the republic of Venice, involved #in #the exploration of Peru under #the guidance of Francisco Pizzarro. His account provides details #on #the lives of these men, obsessed #with #the search for gold and engaged #in fratricidal struggles, when they were not massacring defenseless Indians.

THE ROUTES
The ship’s log of captain David Peterson de Vries allowed us to reconstruct Pietro Cesari Alberti’s journey through #the Caribbean, facing threats from pirates and buccaneers, including those present #on #the island of Tortuga, #the scene of a massacre perpetrated by #the Spanish . #The city of New York commemorated Pietro Alberti, originally from Malamocco, #on June 2 #with “Pietro Alberti Day”. Particularly significant are #the diaries of #the Vicenza doctor Giambattista Scandella, preserved at #the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, which provide an unprecedented look at #the conditions of slaves and #the life of #the first American communities, including that of #the Quakers”. Giacomo Costantino Beltrami, an explorer born #in Bergamo under #the rule of #the Republic of Venice, enriched #the narrative #with his letters, recounting #the customs of #the Indian tribes and #the relationships #with #the United States government during his epic adventure #in search of #the origins of #the Mississippi . Finally, #the “Memories”, by Lorenzo Da Ponte, offered an ironic look at #the life spent between New York and Philadelphia, further enriching #the narrative.” Da Ponte, Mozart’s librettist, and friend of Giacomo Casanova, a native of Ceneda, today Vittorio Veneto, was #the founder of #the chair of Italian studies, and first professor of Italian literature, at Columbia University #in New York. That of Beltrami from Bergamo is truly a special case: he went to discover #the sources of #the most important river #in North #America and probably inspired James Fenimore Cooper, author of “The Last of #the Mohicans”.

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