The emperor's giraffe and other stories of cultures in contact

An outbreak of a disease known as the "black vomit" prevents the English from strengthening their hold in the New World in the 18th century, with huge repercussions; the untimely death of an emperor prevents Chinese and Portuguese explorers from meeting along the coast of West Africa in the 15th century; the most significant factor in the Spanish exploration of North America turns out not to be Spain's mighty armies or her unrivaled fleet, but the lowly mosquito. In human history, little things can make a big difference, as Samuel Wilson demonstrates in this book. These 23 stories examine moments in history when two cultures, previously unknown to each other, first came into contact. Focusing on individuals caught by chance in pivotal times and places, Wilson explores the ways in which seemingly small decisions made during the initial contact period between two cultures have had a huge impact on the course of history. From the 1850 England-West Indies cricket match to EuroDisney's reintroduction of traditional folk tales to Europe, the effects of these contact periods are still very much with us. Little-known events with large consequences and remarkable characters fill these interesting, informatiive and sometimes surprising essays.