The Moor's Account

Publisher's Summary

A New York Times Notable Book.

In this stunning work of historical fiction, Laila Lalami brings us the imagined memoirs of the first black explorer of America--a Moroccan slave whose testimony was left out of the official record. In 1527 the conquistador Pnfilo de Narvez sailed from the port of Sanlcar de Barrameda with a crew of 600 men and nearly a hundred horses. His goal was to claim what is now the Gulf Coast of the United States for the Spanish crown and, in the process, become as wealthy and famous as Hernn Corts. But from the moment the Narvez expedition landed in Florida, it faced peril--navigational errors, disease, starvation, as well as resistance from indigenous tribes. Within a year there were only four survivors: the expedition's treasurer, lvar Nez Cabeza de Vaca; a Spanish nobleman named Alonso del Castillo Maldonado; a young explorer named Andrs Dorantes de Carranza; and Dorantes' Moroccan slave, Mustafa al-Zamori, whom the three Spaniards called Estebanico. These four survivors would go on to make a journey across America that would transform them from proud conquistadores to humble servants, from fearful outcasts to faith healers.

The Moor's Account brilliantly captures Estebanico's voice and vision, giving us an alternate narrative for this famed expedition. As the dramatic chronicle unfolds, we come to understand that, contrary to popular belief, black men played a significant part in New World exploration, and Native American men and women were not merely silent witnesses to it.

In Laila Lalami's deft hands, Estebanico's memoir illuminates the ways in which stories can transmigrate into history, even as storytelling can offer a chance for redemption and survival.

©2014 Laila Lalami (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Terrific read evoking 16th century New World life

Any additional comments?

Anyone who grew up in Texas, as I did, and attended a public Junior High School remembers the requisite Texas History course. The most fascinating events to come out of that class were the Alamo, of course, and the story of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca. As the treasurer and royal representative of the ill-fated Spanish exploratory expedition led by Panfilo de Narvaez, he was one of only four known surviviors. The others included two Spanish officers and noblemen, one of whom was Andreas Dorantes, who owned as a slave, the fourth survivor, a Moor named Mustafa al-Zamori, whom his master renamed Esteban. These four eventually became the first Europeans, and, of course, first African, to wander across the future states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Later, being found by a group of Spanish slave traders in present day Sonora, Mexico, they ended their eight year rambling trek in the capital of New Spain, present day Mexico City.

This outstanding work of historical fiction shows the duplicitous nature of these Spanish would-be conquistadors as seen in their avowed goal to bring Florida under the control of the King of Spain and bringing Christianity to the natives which contrasted with their more obvious self-serving goals of gold, personal wealth, and fame. The Narvaez expedition of 300 men, which landed in Florida near Tampa Bay in April of 1528, completely underestimated both the physical endurance required to navigate through that land as well as the ability of the native tribes to defend themselves. Viewed through the eyes of Esteban, with flashbacks to his days growing up and working as a merchant in Morocco, Neil Shah delivers a 5-star narration, giving the main Spanish characters distinctive voices along with Esteban’s haunting voice and those of several native characters. The story follows Esteban through the miseries of how he became a slave in Spain, traveling to the New World, suffering through the decisions of Narvaez and others that doomed the expedition, and then the struggles thereafter. All the while “The Moor’s” desire to regain his freedom is paramount in his thoughts and deeds.

My only criticism of the story line was there were infrequent descriptions of the lands themselves once having left Florida, so one had difficulty determining exactly where they were geographically, since movement through time was based on moving from tribe to tribe ever westwards. At some point they moved across plains to mountains and eventually to Culican on the Pacific Coast without any geographical references. That said, the fascinating depiction via Esteban of the characters, events, and trials of these four men who end up lost in a 16th century landscape of the present U.S. southwest is an engrossing and entertaining read. The nature of humanity in all its forms of good, evil and everything in between are there.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Great historical fiction - narrator is fabulous

Would you listen to The Moor's Account again? Why?

Yes! - the biography of Esteban the Moor is fabricated by author- but the story of the Cabeza de Vaca expedition is one of the most interestingin the entire Age of discovery.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Moor's Account?

The personalities of the various Conquistadores were well done as was the presentation of the life of the various Indian tribes before the white man came.

Which scene was your favorite?

The narrator Shah makes it all come to life! Good job.

If you could take any character from The Moor's Account out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Dorantes - his master - he goes through various personality changes as he reacts to becoming a slave rather than a Castillian hidalgo.

Any additional comments?

Cabeza de Vaca's account of his years spent with the Indians is fascinating - sometimes as a brutalized slave sometimes as a revered healer. The first white man to record the life of the Indians of the SW before the subjugation of the white man. This is a different spin - we know little about the Moorish slave Estebanico.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Story interesting, performance over-wrought

Performing an audio-book can be an actor's dream: where else can s/he demonstrate the breadth and capacity of dramatic talent needed to portray 20 characters simultaneously? However, I found Neil Shah's performance to be rather over the top, sometimes ridiculous, and often distracting. I appreciate the seriousness with which he endeavored to give each and every character a different vocal pitch, speed of talking, and an accent particular to their nationality and social status, but as an overall effect it took away from the book.

The plot is of the Adventure genre presented in a Historical Fiction landscape: imaginative perspectives of actual historical events, but without lingering too long on any one location or thought process, such that things move forward at a steady clip. I appreciate that Lalami refrained from delving too far into gore and details of suffering -- only two rape scenes, and the physical battles, bouts of disease, and other hardships were rendered tactfully, given how grim everyday life was in the 16th century and the tendency of many historical fictionalists to wallow in those details.

I think it is probably helpful if the listener understands some Spanish. My Spanish is extremely limited, and occasionally I felt like I may have missed something when the Spanish characters spoke to each other using their native language, particularly towards the beginning of the novel. This might also help the listener keep track of the many characters' names.

I chose this book because it was a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. Although it is an interesting tale, and probably took a lot of research to produce, it didn't move me the in the manner I would expect from a Pulitzer finalist.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Great book

Really enjoyed the story. Had moments when the narrator's interpretation of a character slightly distracted me, he was good overall.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

I loved this story

I love historical fiction done well. I know much of this is fiction from the author’s imagination since Mustafa did not actually leave a written account. I assume she combined parts of the known account with her imagination of Mustafa’s account. I think she did a very believable job.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

astonishing performance, compelling story

a new telling-- a reenvisioning-- of Spanish imperialism in the voice of an enslaved moor, this novel cracks open and splits apart any mononarrative(s) of the past, including recent and resistant accounts of early modernity and early modern nationalism. lalami's language is subtle, quietly surprising in its impact. shah's performance is staggering in its delivery, particularly in his ability to embody and convey numerous characters of varying backgrounds and tongues. the complex dignity of the narrator in shah's articulation will stay with me indefinitely, as will lalami's timely, persistently pertinent consideration of story, the power to narrative.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A Walk through History from a Unique Perspective

Anyone who likes historical fiction will appreciate this novel. The lead character lives a unique life as a merchant, a translator , a healer and a slave at various times.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

The Moor's Account

This is a great tale. The reader, Neil Shah did a great job. Apparently not everyone liked the voices he chose for different characters, but his measured pace echoed the determination and courage of his narrator, Mustapha. Very rewarding story.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

superb reader, excellent story

Any additional comments?

this was a well researched, intimate, and human account of a historic moment. i loved every bit of it.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

good story, monotonous narration<br />

The story was well written, but the narrator, although he did a good job at distinguishing the voices of different characters, was otherwise monotonous and mechanical sounding when reading narration or any of the first person dialog, making the central character sound a little deadpan and emotionless.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

His story

A great tale of what actually might have happened many moons ago from an alternative perspective.

Adored it

Loved this from the very start to the very end. Enjoyed the journey it took me on and still think about it even now.

Terrible narration

What would have made The Moor's Account better?

A less monotone narrator, I couldn't get into the story so gave up.

Has The Moor's Account put you off other books in this genre?

no

How could the performance have been better?

More animation to the reading