Charles Mann's new book, 1493 , is garnering rave reviews . Voltaire would have loved Charles C. Mann’s outstanding new book, “1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created.” In more than 500 lively pages, it not only explains the chain of events that produced those candied fruits, nuts and gardens, but also weaves their stories together into a convincing explanation of why our world is the way it is. That's pretty impressive when even Voltaire gives his "thumb's up!"