Lines Drawn across the Globe: Reading Richard Hakluyt's "Principal Navigations"

In 1600, Richard Hakluyt published Principal Navigations,Voyages,Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation, a compilation of travel narratives, royal letters, ships' logs, maps, lists, and commentaries documenting over two hundred voyages and how the world appeared to England in 1600. Lines Drawn across the Globe by Mary Fuller provides a new perspective on Hakluyt's work, tracing the history of the book's compilation and giving order and meaning to its diverse contents. It remains a crucial piece of evidence on the history of empire, the nation, and the world.

Format: Hardback
Length: 600 pages
Publication date: 19 September 2023
Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press

In the early 17th century, a remarkable effort was undertaken by the English geographer and cleric Richard Hakluyt to celebrate and honor his nation by compiling a comprehensive collection of documents related to its voyages and trade beyond the boundaries of Europe. The outcome of this tireless endeavor was the publication of a monumental work titled "Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques, and Discoveries of the English Nation." Spanning an impressive two thousand pages and documenting over two hundred voyages, this extraordinary compilation offers a captivating glimpse into the world as it was perceived by England in the year 1600.

"Lines Drawn across the Globe" is a groundbreaking initiative that brings Richard Hakluyt's work to a modern audience. Authored by Mary Fuller, this book delves into the history of the compilation of the "Principal Navigations" and provides a systematic organization and interpretation of its diverse contents. Hakluyt's shaping of this many-authored book serves as a conceptual map of the world's regions, showcasing England's real and imagined relations to them. These relations encompass a wide range of interactions, including exchange, alliance, aggression, extraction, translation, imitation, and more, all driven by the ever-changing needs of the moment.

During the peak of the British imperial project, "Principal Navigations" gained immense significance and was recognized as a foundational document of English national identity. It remains a vital source of evidence on the history of empire, the nation, and the world. However, after a century and a half of modern scholarship, it is essential to reexamine Hakluyt's book with fresh perspectives and interpretations.

"Lines Drawn across the Globe" achieves this by spanning the scales of Hakluyt's collection and presenting a dazzling account of an editorial project that played a fundamental role in England's encounter with the world and its perception of itself. The book explores the various ways in which Hakluyt's work shaped the narratives and representations of the nations he encountered, highlighting the complexities and contradictions of his editorial choices. It also sheds light on the broader cultural and intellectual contexts in which the "Principal Navigations" was produced and consumed, providing a deeper understanding of the complex web of influences that shaped Hakluyt's vision of the world.

In conclusion, "Lines Drawn across the Globe" is a groundbreaking work that offers a fresh and insightful perspective on Richard Hakluyt's "Principal Navigations." By delving into the history, organization, and interpretation of this extraordinary compilation, the book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the 17th century, the British imperial project, and the complex web of cultural and intellectual interactions that shaped the world. Through its meticulous research and engaging narrative, "Lines Drawn across the Globe" invites readers to reimagine Hakluyt's work and its enduring significance in the history of exploration, trade, and national identity.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780228016762