Most histories of exploration are written from the viewpoint of theexplorers. This book, now available in paperback, focuses insteadon the cultural encounters between European explorers andnon-European people, reconstructing the experiences of both sides.The result is a remarkable work of comparative cultural history,ranging from North America to the South Pacific and from thevoyages of Columbus to those of Captain Cook. Bitterli distinguishes three basic forms of cultural encounter:superficial contact, as in the early relations between Europe andChina; a prolonged relationship, like that between missionaries andthe North American Indians; and collision, leading to thedestruction of the weaker partner, as happened in the SpanishConquest of the West Indies and of Mexico. In a series of casestudies Bitterli examines these types of cultural encounter,drawing on a wide range of primary sources.