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 three hundred men who had embarked on the journey; 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 seen before.In this enthralling tale of four castaways wandering in an unknown land; Andrés Reséndez brings to life the vast; dynamic world of North America just a few years before European settlers would transform it forever.
#1493105 in Books Nina Tumarkin 1995-08-10Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .60 x 6.00l; .94 #File Name: 0465041442264 pagespast sharp view scholarship personal experience
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A book scattered in thoughtBy Willam J. OvermanI have a good background in history regarding the second world war however this book strangely lacks; as it points too much to the horrors the Jewish people had to go through. This could be attributed with the acts of horror in Russia and in Germany. Strangely entire passages of history are wiped away such as the terrible actions that happened in Poland during the soviet offensive. This book does not feel like a historical analysis so much as a story of stories. The reason this book gets a 3/5 is for just that reason as it presents an idealized format of World War II which does not fit with that of reality. The suffering of the Jewish people do not account for all the horrors in World War II.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Worth itBy NekuHad to get this book for a class at college. It's not a bad read and flows nicely. It is neither very long or complex; but interesting enough.5 of 7 people found the following review helpful. In Russia WWII was just yestserdayBy Ms barbaraI actually didn't like this book much. Frankly I thought it was quite scattered and too many flowery phrases...'so and so; a 22 year old brilliant journalist...bla bla'. Perhaps I read it 15 years too long after it was published. Don't get me wrong; there are definitely pages here and there that directly deal with the Russian Cult of WWII. I just don't think I gained much understanding of it the way it was presented. I had wanted (in this book) more of a clear and concise explanation of this Cult of WWII and it just felt like the book rambled and led me though a history of the War instead.I lived in Russia in 92-93 and I would look at the Russians themselves more closely as they WANTED to perpetuate this 'we are the greatest' attitude it seems to me. They say a country deserves the government it has and to this day that can be said about Russians. (And now I fear about the US too.) Very sad and what Communism does to a whole populations seems to leave a scar that will never truly heal. It does something to people and they are NOT the better for it.I remember teaching some Russian 'English' teachers. When I told them that West Germany (former) was so much better off than the former East Germany; they refused to believe me BECAUSE how could that possibly be true??? Russia won the war! They would not budge. This kind of thinking goes on in Russia today and there are still huge amounts of people who refuse to believe much bad about Stalin.Perhaps I am always skeptical of an author who can't seem to get through such a large undertaking without taking a swipe at President George H. Bush for NOT seeing the Coup in Russia coming. That seems so frivolous to me as I would say; 'did literally ANYONE but Ms. Tumarkin???' Certainly not our CIA or the heads of England; West Germany etc etc. So to slap at Pres. Bush seems agenda driven to me.The people in Russia were led into the abyss by their own leaders and they chose to follow them for many reasons. That Ms Tumarkin wonders how Russians could start blaming Jews again after the fall of Russia seems so bizarre to me and points to a naivate' that is pretty grand.I just wanted a more concise analysis of this Cult that still lives to some degree in Russia today.
