The Adventures of Captain Alonso De Contreras: A 17th Century Journey
Contreras was born in Madrid in 1582 and left home in 1595 to become a soldier. He led a life full of adventure, fighting Turks and Moors, joining the Knights of Malta, killing his wife and her lover, becoming a hermit and later a ship's captain. He wrote most of his autobiography in 11 days in 1630 and finished it in 1633. Dallas, writer and photographer, provides an extensive introduction and a few notes. The introduction is helpful for the historical background. However, by being too detailed in recounting Contreras's life, it gives away too much of the actual story. This book is a more modern translation than Catherine Alison Phillips's (1926. o.p.) and is recommended for medium and large public and academic libraries.- Kathleen Farago, Lakewood P.L., OhioCopyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.