"1434" by Gavin Menzies

In my opinion and experience, non-fiction books can be presented in three differing formats.  The first, and my personal favorite, being the narrative story.  Commonly, this format is used for any tales of famous people and their exploits, or either historical events that made a difference upon the world.  As one who loves hearing a good story, be it fictionalized or non-fictionalized, this is the way to go.

The second way is the documentary.  Anyone who is anyone knows full well what a documentary is.  It offers information on a person or event, presented in an informative way, where the subject matter is fully threshed out.  People tune in, or select to read, because of the implicit promise a subject, which garners their interest, will be more thoroughly explored.  Sometimes this can take the form of the first, offering a narrative tale of beginning to end; oftentimes, the information is merely given in vignettes that may or may not follow any particular logical order.

The third and last way I see non-fiction as being presented is in that dreaded format of the college classroom.  There are those books were the theme of the book might engender certain interest, but the presentation carries no narrative whatsoever.  It becomes a regurgitation of facts, and the progression one is supposed to follow in order to understand the subject matter is lost.  One might be able to recall this little nugget over here or that little nugget over there, regurgitating it themselves at a later date for trivia interest; but comprehending the subject?  Not at all.

"1434", in my opinion, falls into this latter category. 

Considering whether China served as the impetus for the Italian Renaissance is certainly a fascinating prospect - hence the reasoning behing my choosing this book.  I cannot say it is thesis I find absent any holes; but it is, likewise, not something I disregard entirely.  What the Renaissance produced in Europe (and I do not claim myself to be an afficionado on that time period) seems world's away - no pun intended - from what came out of China at the same juncture.  Two different cultures; two different directions.  I did not see the connection.

Nevertheless, being that I wasn't there and do not know, I wanted to hear what Gavin Menzies had to say.

Unfortunately, as mentioned above, this book comes across like a college classroom with an instructor who is merely tossing out facts and hypothesis, leaving my focus to drift elsewhere.  I am certain one whose mindset is disciplined to the college classroom environment could follow the logic presented, and could either defend, or give arguments against, the evidence Mr. Menzies espouses.  For myself, it is not clicking.  There seems to be too much supposition and not enough evidentiary facts.