Discovering Ourselves

In recent popular culture Christopher Columbus has largely gone from hero to zero, but who was he really?

Columbus Day is coming up. You might even get the day off to celebrate. Here’s why.

Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) got paid and paid well to travel. Pretty cool job, being an explorer backed by a monarchy. Who wouldn’t want that gig?

Good for you, Chris.

He made four trips across the Atlantic from Spain, in 1492, 1493, 1498 and 1502.

Ostensibly his main …