The 28 essays collected in this volume constitute a selection of over 180 lectures and papers presented by scholars from both sides of the Atlantic at the European Association for American Studies Conference in Seville in 1992. Held in the wake of the controversy surrounding the quincentennial of Columbus' landing in Espanola, the conference further explored the implications of that turning point in the history of the Western world.

These essays address the impact of that momentous event from a number of disciplinary perspectives, making use of the most diversified methodologies. Some discuss the historic versus the mythicized Columbus; others examine the uses to which Columbus has been put by poets, dramatists, artists and musicians through the centuries; yet others investigate a variety of problems resulting from the contact of cultures in the United States.

The overall picture is an exciting mosaic of significant scholarly contributions to ongoing critical debates.