Basque Firsts

Throughout history, Basque men and women have made contributions in navigation, education, science, fashion, politics, and many other fields. Too often these achievements have been overlooked, or have been claimed as the accomplishments of others. Basque Firsts: People Who Changed the World profiles seven remarkable Basques who were the first in their fields to do somethingsomething extraordinarythat had a dramatic impact on others who followed them. The profiles use primary sources to tell fresh stories and offer a wonderful variety, showing the astonishing breadth of Basque contributions. They include Juan Sebastan Elcano, the first person to circumnavigate the earth; St. Ignatius of Loyola, the first Jesuit to seed a worldwide movement in education; Santiago Ramn y Cajal, the Father of Neurology and a Nobel laureate; Cristbal Balenciaga, the king of haute couture; Paul Laxalt, one of Ronald Reagans closest friends in politics; and Edurne Pasaban, the first woman to climb the worlds fourteen tallest mountains. Basque Firsts provides a rare look at a cultures people, revealing the significant contributions they have shared.