The Nine Lives of Christopher Columbus: Book Talk & Signing with the Author, Dr. Matthew Restall

On the heels of one of the most contentious and controversial historical figures' holiday, come hear the stories of the "nine" Columbuses. Author and Penn State professor Dr. Matthew Restall pulls back the curtain on the man, the myth(s), and the legend(s) of Christopher Columbus .
In this book, Restall "explores the mysteries, many of them manufactured, that color our understanding of Columbus even in the twenty-first century―mysteries surrounding Columbus’s name, nationality, place of birth, ancestry, education, religion, intellectual vision, moral fiber, sexual proclivities, and current resting place. He shows how Columbus became an iconic American hero in the nineteenth century, and how a parallel hero emerged in the form of the Italian American Columbus.
Restall takes us beyond polemic, sifting through the evidence across nations, languages, and five centuries to explore the many questions that make up what he calls “Columbiana.” He demonstrates that, far from a uniquely talented individual, Columbus was typical of the Iberian and northern Italian men of his day―a merchant mariner who became an explorer, slave-trader, and conquistador-settler. And Restall challenges the notion, deeply held to this day, that Columbus can be credited or blamed for all that happened after 1492.
Whatever one’s views of Columbus, Restall’s book is the necessary, definitive account. It dispels the myths and gives us Columbus as he was. It shows how he has been distorted in the centuries since his death―and how we might come to understand him, and his legacies, anew."
The Columbus family history is intertwined with the Boal family history and lore, and so this book signing is a great honor to us. A $15 donation, per person, will be accepted at the door and will benefit historical preservation at the Columbus Chapel & Boal Mansion Museum, a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Restall will provide a talk on his book, facilitate a Q&A, and host a book signing in the Boal Mansion ballroom.