I probably first read or heard about de Soto in high school, but until recently he was just a name, one of dozens of Spanish Conquistadors. Then in 2002 while traveling through the Tampa, FL area I came across a National Park commemoration where he first landed on a 4,000 mile 3-year trek through North America. Being there in person my imagination was fired and I've been fascinated by de Soto's journey ever since. I can still smell the salt air, hear the surf and see the Spanish horsemen moving through the shadows of the red mangrove forest. In terms of discovery and epic adventure de Soto is easily equal to Lewis and Clark - perhaps more so.

This is the single best book available about de Soto, representing 20 years of research and incorporating the latest in archaeological evidence. The route is historically a subject of great controversy, each state has commemorative trails and sites that occasionally change with new scholarship.

The books is a masterpiece incorporating details from many layers to create a highly textured and easily imagined vision of the Spainards and Indians. Hudson is an anthropologist and takes a multi-disiplinary approach which creates a much richer work than a straight historical narrative. One could spend a lot of time immersing in the details of the route and it is most interesting since it took place on American soil, and one can easily physcially re-trace and visit the locations today - even my fathers back yard in Columbia SC may be along the route!

Also recommend these reviews:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3880/is_199910/ai_n8865236

http://www.uga.edu/columns/091597/camp1.html ( )