No comments about The White Island: The Extraordinary History of the Mediterranean's Capital of Hedonism.

4 comments about Castaways (Latin American Literature and Culture).

1. Hard to follow at times, you get confused as to how many people are actually following him! It is sometimes slow reading. Yet, the informantion in the book is good.



2. To read so much live detail about the way of life of the original inhabitants of parts of Texas and the Southwest is to have one's very conceptions about these places changed. It's an amazing, short read and the editor helps with notes in critical places. I think this is basic reading for anyone even part-way interested in the history of Texas and neighboring states. Cabeza de Vaca's account covers hair-raising events which occurred in the 1530s right here on Galveston Island, so it gives a longer sense of post-Columbian history than one usually gets as a lay reader of Texas and Southwest history. I too don't know why more folks aren't talking about this book. I'm buying copies to give away.



3. Cabeza de Vaca's first hand narrative of his experiences in the New World is one of the most gripping true life adventure stories that you can find.
   
   The story is almost five hundred years old. It begins with his selection as treasurer for a Spanish invasion force of six hundred that was intended to conquer Florida (then thought to be an island), sieze the natives' gold and add their bodies to the Spanish crown while their souls would be dedicated the the Christian God.
   
   Everything went wrong. A hurricane hit. The expeditionary force was separated from their ships and ended up marooned on the Florida Gulf Coast, surrounded by hostile, deadly Indians. Eventually, the survivors slaughtered their horses for food, then melted down their armor to make nails and built boats in the hope of finding their way to Mexico.
   
   Many more men were lost before they made their way to what is now known as Galveston. The survivors experienced starvation, the cowardice of their leader, slavery and even cannibalism. Out of six hundred conquistadores, only four men survived.
   
   Those four men walked across the rest of Texas, wandering almost aimlessly in a search for the Spanish colony of Mexico. By the time they finally arrived in Mexico, after years of privation, they were no longer the same self-sure conquerors who had sailed from Spain. They had developed a following of hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Indians who hailed them as "Children of the Sun". Cabeza de Vaca, who had emerged as their leader, fit the description of an Old Testament prophet. His hair had not seen a comb or scissors for several years, while his feet had not seen shoes for almost as long.
   
   Here's an extended quote from Chapter 19:
   
   "A few days after these four Spaniards had departed there came a time of cold and storms so severe that ... five Christians who were encamped on the beach came to such straits that they ate one another until only one was left, who survived because there was no one left to eat him.... The Indians were so indignant about this, and there was so much outrage among them, that undoubtedly if they had seen this when it began to happen they would have killed the men, and all of us would have been in dire peril: in a word, within a very short time only fifteen of the eighty men from both parties who had reached the island were left alive; and after the death of these men, a stomach ailment afflicted the Indians of the land from which half of them died, and they believed it was we who were killing them; and as they were wholly convinced of this, they agreed among themselves to kill those of us who were left."
   
   How's that for action? It's true that the narrative style itself is archaic and stilted at times. But this translation emphasizes simple modern English and cuts through a lot of the difficulty of reading a story that's half a millenium old.
   
   I've read the story of Cabeza de Vaca two or three times over the years. In it, I see an almost mirror image many of the other explorers like De Soto or Cortez: a man who learned to view the New World in a different way, and who became a different man by the experience. His story has action, sure: hurricanes, starvation, slavery, faith healing, a stupid, greedy leader, and a cast of thousands. But at the heart of this journey is the journey of one man's heart.



4. I have learned to dispise the Spanish colonizers for their actions in the New World. I have read enough of their sharpening their swords and practicing on the Native Americans and slaying the men, women and children of native settlements if they didn't convert to Christianity or produce enough gold. So this is a new perspective. This is a story of the Spanish colonizers failing and suffering through unimaginable hardship in a challenging hostile wilderness along the coast that is now, 500 years later, our destination of choice for retirement.
   
   This is a nearly fantastic book, only nearly so because it is true (unless De Vaca embelished his story). If you are intrigued with pre-settlement America and the cultures of Native Americans you will appreciate this read in addition to the survival story. This is a look at Florida and Texas in a different era. This is a story about the ambitions of Spain and the privations men could endure for their religion and their country. Even the style of the writing adds to the true insight into the time and perspective on their outlook on the new world. The chapter titles such as "Of What Befell Lope de Oviedo with Some Indians" and "How We Departed After Eating the Dogs" give you the idea of how the book is structured in addition to how they suffered.
   
   In many historical accounts the Spanish are said to have believed that the New World was the dominion of the devil and all its' people,lands, forests and creatures were works of the devil. It is in accounts like this that you can start to gain some perspective on this and understand their reasoning and belief despite how wrong it is today.

No comments about Trekking and Climbing in Northern Spain (Trekking & Climbing Series).

No comments about Spain in America 1450-1580.

No comments about The Rough Guide to Madeira 1 (Rough Guide Mini Guides).

No comments about Walk Madeira.

5 comments about The Last Voyage of Columbus: Being the Epic Tale of the Great Captain's Fourth Expedition, Including Accounts of Swordfight, Mutiny, Shipwreck, Gold, War, Hurricane, and Discovery.

1. Dugard is a fantastic writer. Although the beginning of the book begins slowly, the tale of the fourth voyage is one of the most thrilling adventures I ever read. The fact that this was a true story and not fiction makes the reader hold onto their armchair as Dugard's narrative reads beautifully and steers the reader along, and it does so as masterfully as the great Columbus himself, who tenaciously led his frightened men to the New World. And despite Columbus' later misfortunes during this fourth voyage, he was an extremely clever man with outstanding resolve that although never found that elusive passage to Asia did manage to return home safely after a nerve-racking series of disasters. That is astounding by any mortal's standards.
   
   I was glad to see that the History Channel made a movie on Dugard's book, as it is a crucial piece of history and an amazing story. Despite Columbus' failed mission he led his crew through, while even being deathly sick, to finally being rescued. That so many men did follow him, regardless of the mutiny, which was understandable at that crisis, it seems the main issue many others and I have is about Columbus being a tyrant. This whole issue truly needs factual evidence to prove that it was Columbus rather than his officers who committed those gross misdeeds on Hispaniola that tarnished Columbus' name, honor and right to govern.
   
   In comparison to King Ferdinand's Spain, which was entering its most ugly period of pogroms by first expelling the Muslims and currently on a mission to begin the Inquisition, Columbus appears to have been an angel. If harsh punishments were meted out on Hispaniola, it seems the evil King Ferdinand, who was killing people in mass, was no one to reprimand Columbus or his men for harsh treatment. Many factors indicate that the King's aim was to demote Columbus and his monopoly on the New World, which he and his evil bishop, Fonseca, managed to do. They were ruthlessly expelling Muslims and Jews, and Columbus was just another expendable victim added to the list. Hence, this vital information needs to be finally resolved by ALL historians writing about Columbus.
   
   However, this book is titled "The Last Voyage of Columbus", so I can't criticize Dugard too much in this regard, yet his storyline does address this previous issue, and therefore should to some extent. But as for the tantalizing fourth voyage, this is nothing short of extraordinary and almost too unreal to believe.
   
   This was a fascinating tale, written in a fascinating and engaging style. Bravo Dugard! And thanks for bequeathing to the world this great and important tale. A MUST READ!



2. First off, I am a huge Christopher Colombus fan. This book is well written! Engaging, informative and has a smooth transition between events. Colombus is shown in a very honest light. His greatness and his flaws. The background of his family and his ideas for the future were interesting.
   
   I strongly recommend this book to any history buff with an interest in Colombus!



3. Swashbuckling account of Columbus' fourth and final voyage to "China" is poignant in its telling of Columbus' mistaken efforts on each voyage to find China, which had to be right around the next island in the Caribbean, and heroic in its descriptions of Columbus as a master explorer and leader of men. He ultimately suffered more than he salvaged, but always remained the ethical victor.
   
   As Dugard concludes, we now know fairly conclusively that Columbus wasn't the first to the "New World" but he was the first to stay. For that, we owe him much . . . whether praise or approbation, it is still owed to Columbus.



4. This a good read. I could hardly put it down and read it in two days. My only beef with the book is that it overtly glorifies Columbus and neglects to even recognize the brutalities that he oversaw while in the "New World." The fact that an entire race of people is now extinct because of Columbus' actions is not even mentioned in the book. When Dugard mentions such brutalities, he indicates that they are the fault of someone else. Further he fails to mention the journal entries in which Columbus completely dehumanizes the "Indians" and talks about they will all be brutally subjugated by the Spanish. The author does take care to mention, however, that some of the Indians "wept" when Columbus was rescued and left them behind.
   
   Other than that, the details of the journeys and the shipwreck were harrowing, interesting and compelling. Good read.



5. I loved this book, finishing it in a few days. Not only do you get a sense of Columbus, but other people of his era as well, including the specifics of naval hardships he and his crew experienced. I didn't know much about Columbus until I read this book, and certainly didn't know that he made four voyages. I recommend it.

No comments about Travel Barcelona, Spain - Illustrated Guide, Phrasebook and Maps. FREE general info, map and basic phrasebook in the trial..

2 comments about Knopf CityMap Guide: Madrid (Knopf Citymap Guides).

1. This guide made a 4-day visit to Madrid one of the most enjoyable sightseeing trips I've ever done. It is especially useful for people who like to do sightseeing on their own. Many of Madrid's sights, museums, and treasures are packed into an area that is walking distance from the City center and this innovative travel book made getting from one place to another on foot a breeze.

   It divides the city into sections with a single fold-out page for each section. Each page has an easy-to-use map that can be read without a magnifying glass; brief highlights of the museums with hours and admission information; points of interest; architecture features; history notes as well as a few well-chosen bar, restaurant, and entertainment recommendations. The pages are printed on a heavy card stock so they stand up when you fold them out and the size is perfect for navigating your way as you walk. When closed, it's only a little bigger than a passport and fits in a pocket or small purse.

   We easily walked from our hotel to the Prado, the royal palace, plaza mayor, crystal palace, Atocha train station, and dozens of other sights and museums in just 4 days. The restaurant recommendations were consistently outstanding. In each case, the restaurants were small, beautifully decorated, offered deliciously unique foods at reasonable prices. We would never have found these great restaurants if it were not for the book. They were close to major points of interest, but off the main roads, hidden in alleys and neighborhoods with little signage.

   I've used maps for sightseeing in other cities - Rome, Paris, London, Amsterdam-- but this is the first time I was never lost, never had to ask directions, and enjoyed so many delightful dining experiences. I will definitely look for Knopf's city guide the next time I plan an urban sightseeing trip.




2. I have used many different guidebooks around Europe: Let's Go, Rick Steves, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Eyewitness Guides, and Frommer's and this Knopf CityMap Guide to Madrid was excellent for my trip. I went to Madrid for 8 days for a conference. So I had to be at the conference for 5 days all day except for dinner. This book made it very easy to hit the essentials and find places to eat within the short time I had to explore. The maps are THE BEST MAPS OF ANY GUIDEBOOK! Separated by area of Madrid, they are easy to read, are on stiff pages that don't blow around and get mangled like most do, and are easy to find quickly while walking down the street. The only thing I'd say bad about the maps is that they don't show all of the side streets, but if they did they'd get too busy. It has metro maps too. I found vegetarian food with this guidebook.

No comments about Travellers Barcelona; 3rd (Travellers - Thomas Cook).