Seeds of Change: The Encounter That Transformed the World

This series examines Christopher Columbus and his effects on history from a variety of genres and viewpoints: cultural, historical, fictional, and satirical.

Seeds of Change: A Quincentennial Commemoration is a collection of essays tracing Old and New World exchanges of sugar, maize, potatoes, wine, horses, and other common plants and animals as well as disease, over the course of five hundred years.

Book List

• Seeds of Change: A Quincentennial Commemoration edited by Herman Viola
• The Crown of Columbus by Michael Dorris and Louise Erdrich
• Christopher Columbus, Mariner by Samuel Eliot Morison
• The Dogs of Paradise by Abel Posse
• The Journal of Christopher Columbus translated by Cecil Jane

Program Brochure

The humanities scholar’s essay was written by in 1991 by Herman J. Viola, Director of Quincentenary Programs, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.

Download the scholar’s essay, annotated book list, and supplementary texts (PDF). Please note: The American Library Association is the copyright owner of this essay and annotations. The credit lines embedded in the program materials and/or sponsor and funder logos must remain on all published (print and web) materials derived from these materials.

How-To Discussion Programming Guides

Developed to aid participants in “The Millennium Project for Public Libraries,” this how-to guide (PDF) provides basic information about developing and promoting book discussion programs.

When planning a “Let’s Talk About It” program, you may wish to consult the Programming Guide (PDF) for general how-to information about program format, selecting a scholar, promoting your series, evaluation, and more.