Reprinted in collections of children’s books, taken as a factual report, interpreted as a guide book or even as a treasure map to reveal the hidden wealth of North America, the founding text of a vast number of accounts which sugar-coated (if not concealed) the harsh realities of the Southwest, the first Chicano text – Naufragios is all that, and much more. Almost five centuries after its publication, it continues to fascinate readers, generate scholarly discussion, be the object of academic debate, and find both passionate detractors and defenders for its author, Spanish conquistador Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca. The fascination that this complex, multi-layered text generates has never ceased to this day. New academic …
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Citation: Gomez-Galisteo, M. Carmen. "Naufragios". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 July 2015 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=35645, accessed 23 November 2024.]