1493: From Columbus's Voyage to Globalization, for Young People

Gr 7 Up—What does bat guano have to do with the Irish potato famine? How did an Aztec version of baseball lead to non-indigenous rubber tree forests in southern China and Southeast Asia? This companion book to 1491 makes compelling arguments that the Columbian Exchange, a term first coined by historian Alfred Crosby in the 1970s, not only began the process of globalization but started an unanticipated chain of events that we are still feeling the effects of today. The speed of narration is slow, perhaps to allow students to take notes, making this audiobook a useful supplement for classroom lessons. Because the audiobook lacks the illustrations of the print version, which add depth and understanding to the topics, it might make sense to purchase both the print and audiobook to use together. James Fouhey's informal and relaxed tone makes the listen enjoyable.