Book Review: 1421 The Year China Discovered America

Title: 1421 The Year China Discovered America
Author: Gavin Menzies
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Genre: World History

Chinese Junk compared to the Santa Maria

After 30 long years of war, Chinese forces succeeded in ousting the Mongol Empire in 1387 leading into the Ming Dynasty.  The early Ming Dynasty was a period of growth, expansion, and prosperity. Coupled with the Chinese knowledge of navigation, astronomy, shipbuilding, and written language, the Chinese built the greatest, wealthiest, most advanced Kingdom on earth. With this wealth and abundance came the ability to build and support a exploratory seafaring fleet.

The ships were built of teak.  In order to provide the wood, teak forests were decimated for hundreds of miles in each direction from Beijing. There were nearly 2,000 ships in all. The greatest of these ships could hold 3 months worth of food and travel 4,500 miles without stopping. The larger ships were built with compartments in the bowels. These compartments could be filled with water where trained dolphins provided the men with fresh fish. With a rich, peaceful, powerful Kingdom supporting it, this fleet divided into four expeditions, setting sail in early 1421.

These four fleets set out for four different parts of the world.  Captain Hong Bao, set sail for and explored the continent of Africa and the Atlantic side of South America, sailing thru what is now known as the Strait of Magellan. Captain Zhou Man explored Australia and the Pacific side of North and South America. Captain Zhou Wen explored the North Pole, Greenland, and the Atlantic coast of North America. And Captain Yang Qing traveled India, the Indian Ocean side of Africa, and the Middle East. During their epic expedition, China fell into a destructive civil war.

In May of 1421, disaster struck in the form of lightening.  Much of Beijing burned.  Believing it was divine disapproval of imperialist expansion and decimation of the forests, China's Ruler Zhu Di took his own life. Following was a dark and war ridden period of struggle. The explorers and their fleets returned to a land that was unrecognizable to them. Their voyage was not celebrated and documented.

The thesis of this book seems far stretched. Gavin cites a lot of evidence: Chinese DNA among Native Americans and Africans, Asiatic animals and fauna spread across the continents, unidentified wreckage strewn across the globe, mysterious rock memorials along coasts of each great land mass, and even documentation of European explorers. However, all evidence cited is not always evidence proven. There is a lot of dissent directed at the evidence provided. The possibility of such an undertaking is not impossible.

Book Review: Convenant and Election

Title: Covenant and Election in the Reformed Tradition
Author: David Englesma
Publisher: Reformed Free Publishing Association
Genre: Religious

Among other things, it appears that this book is written in response to an issue that is rearing itself within the modern church world. "The federal vision is the avowed development of the covenant doctrine that teaches that the covenant is graciously made by God in Christ with all the physical offspring of believers alike, but is dependent for its continuance with a child and for its fulfillment in the salvation of a child upon the works of the child." (page 2)

Covenant and election are doctrines that have their roots in the Bible. The covenant being the promise that God has made with his elect. And election being God's actions of having "chosen us in him [our Lord Jesus Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him." (Ephesians 1:4) This unconditional covenant is governed by election. These truths are defined and upheld in the Baptism Form of the Dutch Reformed churches and the Canons of Dordt; both of which are upheld by Scripture.

Many theologians have distorted the scriptural teachings of covenant and election. This book wades thru the teachings of others and picks apart their errors. It also defends the stance of John Calvin.

For the importance and depth of the doctrine discussed, the book is a surprisingly easy and quick read. It gives the reader a sharp understanding of God's promise to His elect and uses Scripture and the teachings of wise and godly men. In this book Englesma justly criticizes erroneous stances, but it seems, in at least one case, that the criticized beliefs are not properly defined making the denunciation easier to point out.

Hike Review: Sheep Hole Mountain

Location: Twentynine Palms, CA
Distance: 4 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation change: 2200 feet
Time of year best to hike: Fall to Spring
Recommended maps: Dale Lake, CA USGS Topo Map
Video: Summit Attempt

Trail-Head: From Twentynine Palms, the trail-head is about 25 miles east on Amboy Road. As Amboy road turns north between Sheep Hole Mountain and the Bullion Mountains, there will be several dirt roads leaving the paved road to the east. The trail-head that used in this case was the dirt road at the top of this pass that leads to an easy to identify Microwave tower. The short dirt road that leads east from the paved road that leads to the microwave tower is passable to all vehicles. This tower is the trail-head. See the video linked at bottom of the summary for a view of the tower.

Summary: From the trail-head, set out directly east up the gradual desert floor. A fairly deep wash interrupts this trek at the base of the mountain. Follow the draw to the mouth of the rocky canyon from which the wash and the ascent begins. The trail quickly vanishes and scrambling begins. It is a grueling 1.5 miles of class two rock climbing to the top.

From what I have been told the view from the top is amazing. The desert air is very clear. The colors are vibrant. The contrast between desert and sky is stark. Unfortunately, I did not finish the hike. My dogs accompanied me on this hike. We got a mile into the scrambles and as we climbed, the rocks were getting bigger, more jagged, and the grade was becoming too steep for the dogs. They wanted to push on, but the best way to avoid disaster is good judgement. It is difficult for me to say this, but...I did not complete this summit. A video of my attempt is posted here: Sheep Hole Mountain Summit Attempt.

Leviathan Book II: Of Common Wealth

Title: Leviathan
Author: Thomas Hobbes
Publisher: Public Domain Books
Genre: Philosophy

Our natural man seeks power of many different forms.  This desire precedes conflict and contention even combat.  Arise the need for laws (contracts) that protects man from man.  Laws are upheld by a common power (common wealth).  The head of the common wealth must have sovereign power and wield its power through fear of punishment.  This fear must be powerful enough to instill peace amongst the people.  Excerpts from Job 41:10-33 describe the Leviathan as such, "none is so fierce that stir him up...his teeth are terrible round about...his scales are his pride...out of his mouth go burning lamps...in his neck remaineth strength...his heart is firm as stone...when he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breaking they purify themselves...upon earth there is not his like, who is made without fear."

The primary reason for the creation of a common wealth is peace.  Peace is achieved through restrictions.  Our desire for peace is more powerful then our desire for liberty.

Leviathan Book I: Of Man

Title: Leviathan
Author: Thomas Hobbes
Publisher: Public Domain Books
Genre: Philosophy

Our knowledge and experiences in this world originate from our senses.  External bodies colliding with our senses creates images, tastes, smells, pressures, sounds, etc.   The residual effect is our decaying sense or imagination.  Understanding and thought is the succession of one imagination in line with another line of imagination.  Speech is the transformation of mental discourse into verbal discourse.  Reason is inviting our experiences into our thought processes.

To reason is to be subject to our senses.  True individual reason cannot exist.  Senses and thought processes are different by each individual beholding.  True certainty based on individual reason cannot exist.  There must be an agreed upon definition of each word in order for reason to become somewhat homogeneous.  Science is putting lines of reason together and cannot be possible without well defined words.

The arrangement of the book is a philosophical stepping stone.  The first part leads into the second and the second bases its arguments and conclusions on the ideas of the first part and so on.  However, after science, appetites (good) and aversions (bad) are the motions that take place within us that create endeavor or action.  Some are born with us others are gained from experience.  Proceeding our actions is deliberation and our so called will.  Passion and fear are rooted in appetites and aversions.  To have no passion is to be dead; to have weak passion is to be dull; to have passions indifferent is to be irresolute; to have passions abound is to be mad. The same can be said for fear.  From our passions and fears arises the pursuit of  our desires and the avoidance of our fears.  Pursuit and avoidance are actions that will inevitably lead to conflict; placing men against each other.  In this system there is no liberty.  Contracts must be created in order to allow some sort of liberty without fear.

Hobbes believes to be able to have a philosophical method, the human nature must be understood.  His reasoning, deduced from sensual experiences, I am sure, is the reason the first part of his argument is dedicated to defining human nature and the human thought process. The second part, Of the Common-Wealth, will be a show of protecting man from himself.

The Fall of Japan

Title: The Fall of Japan
Author: William Craig
Publisher:  Galahad Books (1997)
Pages:  368
Genre: Historical non-fiction


"The enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is indeed incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should we continue to fight, it would not only result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but would also lead to the total extinction of human civilization.  Such being the case, how are we to save the millions of our subjects, or to atone ourselves before the hallowed spirits of our Imperial Ancestors?  This is the reason why we have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers." - ignoring Imperial protocol Emperor Hirohito in his first ever public address to the nation of Japan on August 15, 1945, four days after the surrender of Japan and six days after the unleashing of the 2nd atomic bomb that devastated Nagasaki.

The fall of Japan was a dramatic time in an august nation.  Young and zealous men of military indoctrination continued the fight despite the words of their Emperor.  Coupes to overthrow the surrender rose and fell overnight.  Those in favor of surrender were stalked and murdered in their sleep.  To many, surrender was the denial of the sanctity of their Emperor and their nation.  Disembowelment, assisted suicides, self inflicted shootings, murders, terrorized this people.  The nightly bombing of Tokyo killed thousands.  The atomic bombs killed tens of thousands and thousands more in the following days and months.

The book was very interesting and includes perspectives from a wide spectrum both Allied and Imperial.  It is evident that a lot of time was spent in the research of this book.  From survivors of the Fat Man in Nagasaki to Gen Wainwright (an amazing story) POW in the Philippines, the perspective changes from personal to capacious giving a very unique insight into the events.  Highly recommended for anybody interested in 20th century history, Japanese culture, philosophy or military history

Guns, Germs, and Steel

Title: Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
Author: Jared Diamond
Publisher:  W.W. Norton and Company
Pages:  494
Genre: Social Science, Human Geography

The Fertile Crescent is the native home to the donkey, the cow, pig, goat, sheep and dog.    It is a native home to 32 types of large-seeded wheat species.  It is also the native home to peas, lentils and chickpea which are pulses high in protein.  Flax, also original to the area, is high in fiber.  This variety of homegrown, provided for a balanced diet of the early man.  The Fertile Crescent is the birthplace of modernity.  Australia is native to no domestic animals.  Australia was home to no crops.  All their nutrients came from the hunting of wild animals and the harvesting of wild vegetation.  For various reasons, the animals were not able to be domesticated and the vegetation was not able to be farmed.  Australian natives were hunting with spears as recently as the 20th century.

Each area of the world has its own climate, native plants, animals, and unique geographic features.  The foundation of each culture springs from the circumstances offered that specific group based on geographic location.  If there are no animals easily domesticated nor harvest-able crops in a particular area, those living there will not grow and prosper as those living in the Fertile Crescent.  With animals and edible vegetation come farms and with farms come large groups of people living in small areas and with this comes government, competition and disease.  Each society is equal other than geographic location.

This book appears to have been written in reverse.  The author has his politically correct conclusion selected and must be particular in supporting the resolution with historical examples, facts and theories.  He neither has anything negative nor positive to say about any particular culture or society.  This gives the appearance of an unbiased author.  The book is powerful with interesting examples.  It offers some education with a broad and brief, although theorized history of the world.