In October 1606, the great Spanish navigator Luis Vaes de Torres took two vessels through the waters that divide the land masses of New Guinea and Australia. In a journey of great adventure, courage and hardship, he was the first European to sail through today's Torres Strait and very possibly the first European to sight the east coast of Australia. Terra Australis Incognita focuses new light on the Spanish voyages of discovery that sailed from South America into the unknown south western Pacific in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Crossing the planet's largest ocean in small wooden ships with rudimentary navigation, these Spanish conquistadors were in search of the legendary Great South Land first imagined by the ancient Greeks. This is a story of passionate beliefs, of high hopes and catastrophic failures, of attempted colonies that ended in death and disaster, of violent confrontations and tentative friendship with indigenous people, of a fierce clash of cultures, and relentless ambition in search of the gold of King Solomon's Ophir. It is also the story of the visionary adventurer Quiros who planned a New Jerusalem in today's Vanuatu, the ruthless woman governor Dona Isabel, the Solomon Islander chief Bilebanarra who was a friend of the Spaniards and, of course, the great leader of men Luis Vaes de Torres. Terra Australis Incognita is a thoroughly researched, lucidly written and unique narrative on the little known history of the great Spanish explorations of the Pacific Ocean.

A guide to early printed maps of Australia, Antarctica and the South Pacific.

Pedro Fernandes de Queirós's 'Terra Australis Incognita; Or, A New Southern Discovery, containing A Fifth Part of the World' is a groundbreaking work that delves into the exploration of the unknown southern hemisphere. Written in a detailed and descriptive style, the book provides a glimpse into the literary context of European explorations during the Age of Discovery. Queirós's work is both informative and imaginative, offering readers a unique perspective on the uncharted territories of the world. Pedro Fernandes de Queirós, a Portuguese navigator and explorer, was inspired by the ambition to discover new lands and expand the known world. His firsthand experiences and encounters in the South Pacific fueled his desire to document his findings in 'Terra Australis Incognita'. Queirós's background as an explorer adds authenticity and depth to the narrative, making it a valuable historical resource. I recommend 'Terra Australis Incognita; Or, A New Southern Discovery, containing A Fifth Part of the World' to readers interested in maritime exploration, geography, and historical accounts of early European expeditions. Queirós's work provides a fascinating look into the age of exploration and the quest for knowledge in uncharted territories.

'Amazing. It would be my desert island choice' Martin Rees 'Fascinating, beautiful, alarming and revelatory use of mapping and infographics' Stephen Fry on EarthTime maps 'An indispensable read' Arianna Huffington From the global impact of the Coronavirus to exploring the vast spread of the Australian bushfires, join authors Ian Goldin and Robert Muggah as they trace the ways in which our world has changed and the ways in which it will continue to change over the next hundred years. Map-making is an ancient impulse. From the moment homo sapiens learnt to communicate we have used them to make sense of our surroundings. But as Albert Einstein once said, 'you can't use old maps to explore a new world.' And now, when the world is changing faster than ever before, our old maps are no longer fit for purpose. Welcome to Terra Incognita. Based on decades of research, and combining mesmerising, state-of-the-art satellite maps with enlightening and passionately argued analysis, Ian and Robert chart humanity's impact on the planet, and the ways in which we can make a real impact to save it, and to thrive as a species. Learn about: fires in the arctic; the impact of sea level rise on cities around the world; the truth about immigration - and why fears in the West are a myth; the counter-intuitive future of population rise; the miracles of health and education that are waiting around the corner, and the reality about inequality, and how we end it. The book traces the paths of peoples, cities, wars, climates and technologies, all on a global scale. Full of facts that will confound you, inform you, and ultimately empower you, Terra Incognita guides readers to a new place of understanding, rather than to a physical location.