Irving, Washington
"The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (Volume II)" by Washington Irving is a biographical work written in 1828. This fictionalized account became the most popular English-language treatment of Columbus for over a century. Irving transformed Spanish historical sources into a hyperbolic narrative that helped shape American nationalist myth-making. Working with explorer Alexander von Humboldt, he charted Columbus's route and landing. However, the work sparked debate among historians for its "active imagination" and perpetuation of the flat Earth myth, blurring the line between historical biography and literary creation. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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