I loved the context Winchester gave to what was, in general, a very interesting set of facts and stories, many of which would be hard to fit into any type of anthology. What bothered me was the intense ethnocentricity of the book: after the first few chapters, the African continent becomes almost forgotten, and the importance and historic significance of the slave trade is ignored. Commerce and cultural development relating to the Caribbean as well, I believed, deserved a great deal more attention. In reference to the Spanish Basque presence in North America, I have read accounts that disagree with Winchester's, but I do not know who is correct.
In general, however, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed what Winchester did choose to include as well as the framework he created for it.