Fact, Fiction and the New World

The Role of Books in the Making of America

Books played a major role in the European discovery and settlement of the New World. Explorers looked for people, places, and things that were described in books, and they defined their encounters by referring to names and ideas from popular stories and ancient legends.

A Humanities Exhibit from
Texas Humanities Resource Center
Austin, Texas

Funded by National Endowment for the Humanities
with additional support from T.L.L. Temple Foundation

Organized by Laura Gutierrez-Witt
Director (retired) Benson Latin American Library
featuring resources of the Benson Latin American Collection and the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center of the University of Texas at Austin