The Moor's Account

De: Laila Lalami

Narrado por: Neil Shah

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.

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.

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.

Well written story

Definitely worth the plunge if you’re looking for a insightful story. Not fast paced but there was no point at which I grudgingly listened. I really liked the narration too.

Very long descriptive story. Tiresome.

Struggled to finish it. I kept waiting to find out what happens to the main character.

loved reading the history from another perspective

A really engaging and complex story. I loved every word. and will probably read again!

Compelling story

Unfortunately a little soap operaish for my tastes. One dimensional characters and predictable. Too bad.

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.

Well Written and Performed historical novel

Well-written historical novel based on true events in the early period of Spanish exploration and conquest in the Americas. If you are interested in this time period, you will like this book. Don't expect an action novel. The themes of the novel have more to do with identity, intercultural relationships, and personal journey.

Neil Shah does an excellent job of narrating. He provides convincing and distinct voices for the many Spanish, Native American, and North African characters.

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.

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.