Voice of the readers

​Navigating kindles curiosity. Even writing about history. And curiosity is the first means for cultural growth, the mainspring that drives people to seek knowledge and to gain a greater understanding. It is indispensable for the personal and professional development of new generations and it is just as important for that self-improvement that we should all be aspiring to. For this reason, works based on research, like Franco Icardi's book, are welcome and of great value in revealing unknown aspects of widely known facts: in Christopher Columbus' case, we learn about the year of birth, the navigator's youth and his first voyages. It is a wealth of information that, saved from the oblivion of time, will contribute to the understanding of the profound reasons behind the explorer's subsequent life choices. Those same choices that greatly contributed to shaping the contemporary world. The book takes us on a journey with Columbus the man, freed from all superstructures and preconceptions. However, it also reveals to readers the role played by Liguria and, in general, Italy in making history. It is a spur to regain pride and that sense of belonging that should drive us all, both institutions and private citizens, to promote and safeguard our land of belonging. ​                                                                  

Gianna Gancia, President of the Province of Cuneo 

​A book that will never die.

An American cousin of Franco Icardi had reminded him of a saying that seems to define the author's style: "When there is to wish, there is to way." It's true, with commitment, perseverance and of course skill because it is not enough to be "curious": it takes a knowledge of languages and the humanities, critical thinking, passion, time and a desire to travel, to seek sources and to delve into a world that is light-years away from ours. It means living in another dimension making these words of Martial come true: "Reliving the past means living twice." This is what Franco Icardi has realized. Probably his is not the last word about the mysterious figure of the great explorer, but he has definitely given us some certainties because he worked on the "documents" - at times difficult to interpret because of their contradictions - clearing away lies, fantasies and theories that have been built around the navigator's life for centuries. After spending about twenty-five years on the Columbus issue - though limited to the theory that Columbus was from Monferrato - I realize that you never stop "discovering", because there are places to rummage that only "experts" know how to shed light on: and Franco Icardi is one of these experts so it is rather difficult to say whether he could have done more. His book is a mine of valuable information, told with great detail, in a quick yet smooth style, inviting you to continue following a rhythmic succession of events, each linked to one another despite the fact that the events were happening at the same time in different places and scenarios: the warp and weft of a huge canvas called history." Without mentioning the incredible photographic documentation: there is a portrait for every character of this story. In quoting Franklin Delano Roosevelt when he said that "People die, but books never die," we can conclude that Icardi's "Columbus" is definitely one of those bound to never die. ​   

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Pietro Canepa di Cuccaro Monferrato