(MENAFN- EIN Presswire) I Was the First, The Incredible True Story of the First Voyage Around the World, by Natacha Sanz-Caballero
Author Natacha Sanz-Caballero publishes 'I Was the First: The Incredible True Story of the First Voyage Around the World', on the 500th anniversary of the trip
On the decks of their small ships, the men of the Armada of the Spice Islands wrote in blood one of the golden pages of the history of Spain and humankind” — Rear Admiral of the Spanish Navy Santiago Barber LópezFORT WAYNE, INDIANA, UNITED STATES, November 17, 2022 /einpresswire.com / -- The historical, action-adventure novel tells the story of the greatest maritime journey of all time: the first circumnavigation of the earth. The fleet of five ships and 260 sailors under the command of captain Ferdinand Magellan left the port of Seville, Spain, in August 1519. Three years later, one surviving ship under the command of Spanish navigator Juan Sebastián Elcano returned to the port of departure. Its 18 emaciated crewmembers had completed the first trip around the world. They overcame mutiny, hunger, tempests and doldrums, boycotts, desertion, battles, disease and death and, against all odds, returned to Seville and made history.
Awarded the official stamp of the Spanish National Committee for the 500th Anniversary of the First Voyage Around the World, the translation of the novel into English has been sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sport.
Based on the accounts of Magellan and Elcano's expedition, the author undertook a thorough investigation of the voyage and its protagonists to narrate the historical events of the epic journey. The two narrators, Diego and Enrique, allow the reader to get to the heart of the feelings and emotions of two young men from vastly different backgrounds who, without knowing it, made history.
About the characters, the author said,“In his position as Magellan's servant, Enrique has a quiet, almost poetic voice. Their relationship was comparable to that of a father and son. The motivations of Diego, a Castilian youngster, are more mundane: to escape the fevers and misery that are ravishing Europe and strike it rich with the spices promised. His lively, inquisitive voice, contrasts with Enrique's in the narration of the events.”
About the story, the author said,“The first voyage around the world has been compared to man's landing on the moon, in that brave, courageous men overcame fear and the limitations of the known world to travel into the unknown and reach the last frontier, for the benefit of humanity.”
Since 2019, Spain has been celebrating the 500th anniversary of a trip that forever changed the history of the world, with immediate repercussions in the geography, cartography, economy, politics and culture of the time. Maps were re-drawn, the known flora and fauna was enriched by new additions from the lands visited, and new commercial routes were established from a trip that is considered not only the first globalization, but one of the greatest feats of humankind and a turning point for humanity.
In its Spanish version, 'i was the first ' has traveled the world as part of an international educational project sponsored by University CEU Cardenal Herrera and the Spanish Armed Forces of Valencia. Students in educational institutions in Spain, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, the Philippines and Equatorial Guinea have learned about Magellan and Elcano's first voyage around the world using this action-adventure and historical novel. The book is also included in the syllabus of the Spanish V Dual Credit class at Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort Wayne, entering its fourth year of study. With the novel available now in English, the story of the first voyage around the world is made accessible to the English-speaking reader.
About the author: Natacha Sanz-Caballero (Onteniente, Spain) lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she has resided since 1997. Her stories have been published in magazines and anthologies in Spain and the United States. 'I Was the First' is her first novel. She's also the author of the blog 'Mama Ía, cooking spanish in america ', ( ) in which she shares the recipes, history, culture and traditions of Spain in the United States.
I Was the First is available on Amazon and at local bookstores.
Natacha Sanz-Caballero
Natacha Sanz Caballero
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