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A Land So Strange: The Epic Journey of Cabeza de Vaca | 
 enlarge | Author: Andres Resendez
Publisher: Basic Books
Category: Book
List Price: $26.95
Buy New: $13.95
You Save: $13.00 (48%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  14 reviews
Sales Rank: 100742
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.2
ISBN: 0465068405
Dewey Decimal Number: 970.016092
EAN: 9780465068401
ASIN: 0465068405
Publication Date: November 12, 2007
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Product Description
The gripping story of a doomed mission to North America--and the four survivors who journeyed for a decade across the new world just discovered by Christopher Columbus. In 1528, a mission set out from Spain to colonize Florida. But the expedition went horribly wrong: Delayed by a hurricane, knocked off course by a colossal error of navigation, and ultimately doomed by a disastrous decision to separate the men from their ships, the mission quickly became a desperate journey of survival. Of the four hundred men who had embarked on the voyage, only four survived--three Spaniards and an African slave. This tiny band endured a horrific march through Florida, a harrowing raft passage across the Louisiana coast, and years of enslavement in the American Southwest. They journeyed for almost ten years in search of the Pacific Ocean that would guide them home, and they were forever changed by their experience. The men lived with a variety of nomadic Indians and learned several indigenous languages. They saw lands, peoples, plants, and animals that no outsider had ever before seen. In this enthralling tale of four castaways wandering in an unknown land, Andres Resendez brings to life the vast, dynamic world of North America just a few years before European settlers would transform it forever.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 9 more reviews...
 Well-told tale of an amazing journey December 30, 2008
"A Land So Strange" is a very well organized and concise history of the amazing tale of Cabeza de Vaca and his three compatriots who survived the journey on foot and rafts from Florida through Texas and into Mexico. The author has pieced together an excellent story that includes a great deal of historical context. I really enjoyed the author's narrative style, which was very easy to follow. At just over 200 pages (not including the very comprehensive foot notes), the book is the perfect length for someone who just has a curious interest in this story.
Regrettably, numerous typographical and grammatical errors appeared in the edition I read, which detracted from the story. This might be because I received a very early edition of the book. Hopefully these errors will be corrected in future printings. Another thing that detracted from the book was the author's constant use of the phrase "it must have...." where he intended to say that something "likely" or "probably" was the case. This phrase appears on virtually every page of the book and makes you wish the author had made a different choice of words. These problems aside, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and highly recommend it.
New World October 14, 2008
This book opened up the ancient world of northern Mexico to me. How human life subsists in harsh arid climates is probably a psychological door for me. In living close to this tragedy I have often wondered how people lived in this area before the convenience of the automobile.
Well written and has led to further reading on the subject.
little known history August 3, 2008
The author pieced records together to get a coherent story. Learned about Spain in its conquest and exploration of Mexico and these poor guys who got stuck wandering around Florida, the gulf coast and Texas. A good history and survival story.
 Well written June 16, 2008
The author does a good job of setting the context for Cabeza de Vaca's adventure. I found the level of historical detail to be just about perfect. Highly recommended!
Decent history, but it could have been so much better May 19, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Cabeza de Vaca gets most of the credit in history, but he actually had three companions who also survived an amazing eight-year ordeal in the New World. They were part of a 600-person expedition that in 1528 sailed from Havana with the objective of landing on the coast of eastern Mexico about 150 miles below the Rio Grande. Due to the power of the Gulf Stream and incredible errors in navigation, they ended up in Florida, near Tampa Bay. Three hundred men set out to explore the interior, were cut off from the ships, and ultimately stranded. Most eventually made it to the Texas Gulf Coast on rafts, but within a short time their number was down to about twenty and a little later only four -- Cabeza and the other three. The four were enslaved by Indians for about six years and then, after achieving an exalted status as trading intermediaries and medicine men, they spent two more years wandering around southern Texas and northern Mexico before re-uniting with Spanish conquistadors (ironically, a group of Spanish on a mission to round up and enslave Native Americans). The four ended up having one of the most unusual and trying experiences in history.
In A LAND SO STRANGE, Andres Resendez tells the above story. I suspect the book is sound history. To judge from the 53 pages of footnotes at the back of the book, it certainly appears that A LAND SO STRANGE is well-, probably exhaustively, researched. If only the writing reflected something close to the same amount of time and effort as was devoted to the research, we might have a classic work of history. But, instead, the material seems to be hurriedly or indifferently organized and presented and the writing itself frequently lapses into the cliched and formulaic, and even sappy. There also are a number of type-setting errors and at least one glaring error in word use. On the plus side, there are about thirty useful illustrations and maps. Three-and-a-half stars rounded down.
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