The Tainos

In the publishing frenzy that surrounds the 500th anniversary of Columbus's voyage and ``discovery'' of the Americas, this book is a welcome and well-documented look at a different side of the story. Only recently have historic records been searched to flesh out the myths surrounding this event. Jacobs, in a concise and considered explication, reveals riveting and appalling information found in few textbooks. The Tainos, the ancient native peoples of the Caribbean, were the ``Indians'' that Columbus ``discovered,'' and the first victims of the greed and short-sighted pressure for world domination that characterized the ``Age of Discovery.'' In low-key, fact-filled prose, the author discusses the effects of this history-changing intersection of two peoples: disease, domination and finally, the virtual extinction of the Tainos. This sobering book should be required reading for every middle-school child and teacher. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 10-up. (Apr.)