#2058 - Elliott West

In 1528, a Spanish expedition to colonize Florida went awry, leaving only four survivors. This book chronicles their decade-long journey across North America, detailing their interactions with indigenous peoples and their struggle to find a way back home. Andrés Reséndez vividly portrays the vast and dynamic world of North America before European settlement.

In *Horizontal Yellow*, Dan Flores delves into the intricate relationships between humans and the natural environment in the Near Southwest, a region encompassing New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma. The book offers a nuanced analysis of how historical events have shaped the region's ecology and how humans can adopt a more harmonious way of living with nature.

This book spans two astonishing stories. The first traces the rise and fall of the Comanches, who were the most powerful Indian tribe in American history, known for their exceptional horsemanship and warfare skills. The second story follows the remarkable narrative of Cynthia Ann Parker, a pioneer woman kidnapped by the Comanches in 1836, and her mixed-blood son Quanah, who became the last and greatest chief of the Comanches. The book covers a sweeping narrative that includes Spanish colonialism, the Civil War, the destruction of the buffalo herds, and the arrival of the railroads, providing a historical feast for anyone interested in the development of the United States.