BCC: The Life of Columbus has been called the cornerstone of the history of the American continent. The first issue of this edition, which appeared in 1910, vividly recreates the moral and intellectual atmosphere of Columbus's world. A lasting biography of thoughtfulness and scope, it encompasses Columbus's formative years including his life in Spain and a fascinating account of his earliest voyages of discovery. In addition, Sir Arthur Helps examines Columbus's role as the courageous "Discoverer of America" in light of his devoted and unwavering support of the Catholic Church in Spain and its flourishing influence in the Americas. AUTHOR BIO: Sir Arthur Helps (1817-1875), an English author and biographer, was educated at Trinity College in Cambridge. Among his numerous books, many of which have been republished in the U.S., those that refer specifically to America include Conquerors of the New World and Their Bondsmen (London, 1848), The Spanish Conquest in America, and Its Relation to the History of Slavery (1855), The Life of Pizarro (1869), and Life of Cortez (1871). He was made Knight of the British Empire in 1872.