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The Narrative of Cabeza de Vaca
This edition of s experience for a modern audience.
Paperback, 204 pages
Published
May 1st 2003
by UNP - Nebraska Paperback
(first published 1540)
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Invadozer Saphenousnerves Circular-thallus Popewaffensquat
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Having seen the movie with the same title a few times I
found out this amazing book and slammed my head between
the pages like a maniac. I, expecting a pagan
psychotic ranting El Topo type, read that the Spaniard Cabeza
explores the North American continent addled and spun with
thoughts stuck in the Catholic religion. In the movie he's
made into a witch doctor. In the book he's made into a
witch doctor. However, he does everything in God's name
with the sign...more
A short, but informative report to a Spanish king by a real conquistador who explored North America in the early 1500's. After nine years of death defying travel, he returns to Spain 'naked'. De Vaca is one of four survivors from five ships that set out from Spain with 600 men. This was written before the invention of novels, so the narrative is not satisfactory in terms of "well-written", and it is an English translation of 16th century Spanish, and it is a basically a cut and paste ...more
I didn't like the inclusion of in-text notes from the editor. I have to say that first in case you're considering reading de Vaca's narrative. There are other editions, this isn't the one to buy if you're looking to enjoy the original author's uninterrupted text.
Now, as for de Vaca's narrative it is enjoyable on many levels (it's a travel narrative, a loosely anthropological survey, a testament to Christianity, and a morality tale spun for the King) and reminded me of Marco Polo's t...more
Now, as for de Vaca's narrative it is enjoyable on many levels (it's a travel narrative, a loosely anthropological survey, a testament to Christianity, and a morality tale spun for the King) and reminded me of Marco Polo's t...more
Cabeza de Vaca crossed Florida, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and northern Mexico on foot in 1527 (he saw more of my country than I have). This is the official report of his travels; the first hand account of the first European to cross North America. How could something so important be so forgotten! This is an amazing adventure by a wise and compassionate Spaniard.
I tried to read Over the Edge of the World by Laurence Bergreeen about Magellan's circumnavigation (1519), but the discuss...more
I tried to read Over the Edge of the World by Laurence Bergreeen about Magellan's circumnavigation (1519), but the discuss...more
This book is amazing. If by some random chance you read this tag, you owe it to yourself to read this book. Simply amazing.
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One summer in high school I devoured a collection of reprints on the exploration of the New World at the Joliet (IL) Pubic Libary. This title was part of that collection. de Vaca was the first European to travel coast to coast - FL to the Pacific coast of Mexico. A short book, and often lacking in details, his was a fascinating journey. He often nearly starved to death, and in his sojourn he was helfd as a slave but was later elevated to as high as an adored medicine man w/ thousands of India...more
This was a primary account of a wild adventure taken by some spaniards in the 1500's. Thier boat ported in Tampa Bay in Florida. They wondered around Florida for a bit, then sailed to the east coast of Texas. From there they went by foot over to the New Mexico/Arizona area, then south to Mexico City. That is where thier adventure ended. They started out with hundreds of men and ended up with four (I think.) The fact that anyone survived is incredible especially with the technology of that ...more
Castaways is a book full of sorrow, suffering, murder, torture, slavery, theft, starvation, cruelty, great lies, little lies, and everything else that can make a human being long for death.
Cabeza de Vaca joined the Narvaez expedition to Florida in 1527 with expectations that were quite normal for a Spanish aristocrat of his time; he wanted to plunder a wealthy, untouched land for all it had and convert every native he came across to Catholicism. To that end he set sail in a sizable f...more
Cabeza de Vaca joined the Narvaez expedition to Florida in 1527 with expectations that were quite normal for a Spanish aristocrat of his time; he wanted to plunder a wealthy, untouched land for all it had and convert every native he came across to Catholicism. To that end he set sail in a sizable f...more
People hate Columbus because he represents the end to the buffalo and wild berries and peace pipes and rain dances that were the daily norm before the white man arrived with his gold mints and white picket fences. And it's true - this world is worse for the wear. But, if you read Cabaza de Vaca's account of his five year captivity among different tribes across the Southern United States and Northern Mexico (as they stand now) the idyllic world of the Native American grinds to a draught-ridden,...more
A real imagination capturer. This translated version of Relacion by Cyclone Covey, takes any amateur traveler, or narrative fan, deep into what we have come to call the American Southwest and Northern Mexico, but one senses the awe both Spaniards and Native Americans felt in this experience that anyone should read. There is a lot to be learned here.
The magnetism of Cabeza de Vaca's journey, and writing, continue to inspire more research and writing. Historian Andres Resendez recently...more
The magnetism of Cabeza de Vaca's journey, and writing, continue to inspire more research and writing. Historian Andres Resendez recently...more
I had read Andres Rezendez' very excellent account of the amazing journey of Cabeza de Vaca across the continent in the 16th century (A Land So Strange) and thought it would be interesting to read the account in de Vaca's own words. To a certain extent I was right. The narrative was, I believe, written in an effort to secure some kind of sinecure from the King of Spain. As I recall, it did'nt work but it should have. DeVaca's account is a little self-serving in that it downplays the roles of th...more
Cabeza de Vaca's narrative is among the most idiosyncratic of any first contact narrative. He spent nine years wandering what is now northern Mexico and the southwestern US after the Narvaez expedition met with disaster on the gulf coast of Florida. In comparison with other explorers, Cabeza de Vaca is remarkable for his openness to native cultures and his acknowledgment of the brutality and greed characterizing the conquest. It's an incredible story of survival, and Cabeza de Vaca's narrative v...more
I am not one to put down a book but this one was a real snoozer. No matter how much caffeine I had in my system, every time I picked up the book, I would immediately fall asleep. It seemed like an amazing story based on everything Rob told me about the book, but I just could not get into it-- I would like to thank Rob for giving me a complete re-telling of Cabeza de Vaca's harrowing life so that I know what I missed.
Spanish dude takes a road trip across the Gulf States, from St Pete's to Galiviston and then into the interior of Texas and Northern Mexico. In the 1520's. Before there were any roads. A lot goes wrong, including about 596 of his traveling companions dying. True story, by the way.
Although these writings evince many of the same ethical failings evident in Columbus's diaries, the reading is quite more exciting and thorough. Plus it's difficult not to like somebody who's last name is Head of Cow.
This book was originally written as a report to the King of Spain - from the first European to cross the North American continent. Very good read.
The content itself is pretty interesting if you can get past the fact that the prose itself contains only a summation of run-on sentences.
Real account of a shipwreck on the gulf coast of Florida. The author survives and is passed from tribe to tribe, traveling with Native American tribes through the southern U.S. and Mexico.
In addition to the fantastic descriptions of the life of Native American tribes before mass colonization, this narrative offers a complex narrator whose motives are dubious at best. The account was published after the author's return to Spain, when he was apparently attempting to raise money for...more
In addition to the fantastic descriptions of the life of Native American tribes before mass colonization, this narrative offers a complex narrator whose motives are dubious at best. The account was published after the author's return to Spain, when he was apparently attempting to raise money for...more
ohhhhhhhh so much more interesting than what I learned in high school about the discovery of North America. A must read for "New World" history buffs and others interested in one of the earliest chronicles of Spanish penetration into what is now the United States. This was shared with me by one of my friends from the women's book club that I belong to...she thought I would really like it and I did. It's told in the first person...adventure tale style.
De Vaca is another Euro-explorer, but unlike Columbus he loses his arrogance of white supriority and becomes humbled by living among a few Native American tribes. Perhaps on eof the earliest accounts that advocates for the understanding of "others" through his explanations of the various cultural practices of the local tribes. Instead of judging as "indifferiente," De Vaca allows for self-education and is able to see the indigeonous peoples as equals. Unfortunately, his compa...more
I like books like this -- first-hand accounts of early, even first, explorations of a new/strange (to Europeans) land. The account is much sketchier than I would have wished, but then Cabeza did not keep a journal during the many years he wandered thru the southern and western USA in the 1520s, so he had to write this short account from memory. But there is some fascinating stuff in there. Odd that he does not mention alligators, but perhaps they were already old hat for the Spaniards.
Adventure! Excitement! Danger! Desert wanderings! Exclamation points!
Good book, I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it. It is amazing to think that people were able to explore America in such conditions over such large periods of time without any expectations. Cabeza de Vaca traveled 6000 miles over 8 years and contributes to the ongoing American literary theme of exploration, perseverance, and the spiritual discovery of man.
Obviously a valuable primary source. Narratively, though, it felt pretty repetitive to me, because so many of the different tribes he was with seemed so similar to me. So that wasn't as captivating as I'd like. I should probably come back to it eventually after reading a secondary source discussing the events here with more detail, context, and perspective.
An interesting true account of de Vaca's "adventure" after his Spanish crew was shipwrecked in Florida. He eventually walked to Texas. He was nearly unrecognizable to the Spanish soldiers that found him and his slave and indigenous companions.
A story of an encounter between Europeans and indigenous people a century or so before the pilgrims.
A story of an encounter between Europeans and indigenous people a century or so before the pilgrims.
-Oceana - Wandering 'desnudo' physically & mentally along the Gulf Coast. The annotations were very disappointing in this edition - many contained basic, obvious information but the biggest problem was much of the material that needed annotations wasn't annotated, leaving the reader stumbling along as blindly as the expedition.
Who doesn't love some good conquering of savages, eh?
This book is actually super interesting. De Vaca completely blurs the line between the real and the imagined, and the cool thing is that he's not trying to be artistic. His starving, freezing ass simply couldn't tell the difference for most of the time he was writing this diary.
This book is actually super interesting. De Vaca completely blurs the line between the real and the imagined, and the cool thing is that he's not trying to be artistic. His starving, freezing ass simply couldn't tell the difference for most of the time he was writing this diary.
As a primary text, it can be hard to sit through, but is well worth it in my opinion from a historical standpoint. It offers rare, unique insight into the culture of pre-Imperial North America and the cultures that were tragically lost. Anyone interested in anthropology should give it a go and can borrow it from me.
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The amazing thing about most discoveries and science is history's portrayal of them as if we knew what we were doing all along. Cabeza de Vaca's journal (or stories at the least) are a great read to knowing of the native world that existed and we now know as the countries around the Gulf of Mexico.
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