Staff Pick: The Moor's Account by Laila Lalami
12.09.15
The engrossing tale of a young Moroccan enslaved by the Portuguese in the 16th century, who eventually ends up in a Spanish expedition to explore "undiscovered" Florida. It is a thrilling story, from beginning to end, touching on issues of slavery and bigotry, cruelty and kindness, hope and despair; a fetching good read about historical material rarely addressed in fiction and told in the voice of an exceptionally appealing protagonist.
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From the publisher:
In these pages, Laila Lalami brings us the imagined memoirs of the first black explorer of America: Mustafa al-Zamori, called Estebanico. The slave of a Spanish conquistador, Estebanico sails for the Americas with his master, Dorantes, as part of a danger-laden expedition to Florida. Within a year, Estebanico is one of only four crew members to survive.
As he journeys across America with his Spanish companions, the Old World roles of slave and master fall away, and Estebanico remakes himself as an equal, a healer, and a remarkable storyteller. His tale illuminates the ways in which our narratives can transmigrate into history and how storytelling can offer a chance at redemption and survival.Vintage, $15.95
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