Chronicle of the Narvaez Expedition

book review: Chronicle of the Narvaez Expedition by Alvar Nunez Cabeza De Vaca published by Penguin Classics

This slim book contains an incredible story. I’m glad I read the Penguin Classics version, as it provided a concise introduction explaining the background (which I appreciated).

In 1526, a hurricane caused the Spanish Narváez expedition to shipwreck on the Florida coast. Throughout the course of the narrative, of the 360 people who began the journey, only four men, including Cabeza de Vaca, survived to tell their tale eight years later.

Cabeza de Vaca wrote this account to document his experiences. He used few words, emphasizing feelings over lengthy sentences. His were the first European eyes to see this part of America, and what he saw was a lot of depravity (according to him).

Cabeza de Vaca can be viewed as an early anthropologist due to his extensive observations and interactions with Indigenous peoples during his journey back to Mexico. He spent several years living among various tribes, and not all of those years were pleasant. He was often treated as a slave and endured significant suffering. However, he had a keen eye for observation and an instinct for survival.

This book has every right to be thicker, but it’s only a shocking 108 pages long. There is a lot that Cabeza de Vaca doesn’t say, and that might be because he was at a loss for words about how to express himself. He experienced something few people ever have, and I found it interesting that he emerged as an unintended anthropologist. Yet, he undoubtedly shows himself in the best possible light, so I took a lot of what he wrote with a generous heaping of salt. However, his emphasis on empathy and respect for Indigenous cultures was somewhat unique for his time, as many explorers tended to impose their perspectives or dismiss the cultures they encountered.

This book was worth reading, primarily for its historical significance.

My books Memory Road Trip (e-book or paperback) and Time Traveled (e-book or paperback) are both available! You can also find them at most major international book sites.