Gripping. An amazing story of human suffering and triumph.

I picked this book up knowing nothing of Cabeza de Vaca. I had only the slightest inclination that it might be something I would like based on my minimal Spanish. The odyssey of the Cow Head I thought might be worth it. Turns out the Cow Head name is the least interesting part of the story.

As many others did in the 1500s he came to America seeking fame fortune etc. His first trip ended disastrously after being badly unprepared. Most of his fellow travelers were killed (some eaten). He became a slave to multiple different tribes over several years and eventually in a weird turn of events had tribes of Indians as his virtual servants, ferrying him south into Mexico. Eventually he escaped back to the Old World. This would have been adventure enough for me, but not for Cabeza de Vaca. He travelled back to South America to again seek his fortune. I'll leave the ending for you to discover but suffice it to say it's just as unusual. ( )