The Emperor's Giraffe and Other Stories of Cultures in Contact

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An outbreak of the “black vomit” disease hinders English expansion in the New World during the eighteenth century, while the untimely death of an emperor blocks Chinese and Portuguese explorers from meeting along West Africa in the fifteenth century. Surprisingly, the most crucial factor in the Spanish exploration of North America is not their formidable armies or fleets, but the humble mosquito. Samuel Wilson illustrates in his collection how small events can significantly alter the course of history. He focuses on individuals caught in pivotal moments, revealing how seemingly minor decisions during the initial contact between cultures have had profound impacts. Many stories highlight the structural similarities between the Old World states and the Americas, showing that the trajectories of these societies were shaped by choices made by people much like us—operating with limited knowledge and personal agendas. The consequences of these contact periods resonate today in unexpected ways. For instance, who could have foreseen that British colonization in the West Indies would symbolically conclude with a 1950 cricket match? Or that centuries-old European folk tales would return to Europe as Disney characters? Filled with intriguing events and remarkable figures, these essays are both informative and surprising.