[pct-l] Re: Reading Material

[Greg Hummel <ghummel@hydrogenburner.com>]

Dear PCTL,

I apologize for my unintentional exclusion of female authors in my
suggested reading materials.

Another book that I have read that hits squarely on some of the feelings a
thruhiker encounters is:

Journey Into The Unknown Interior of North America, by Juan Cabeza de Vaca.

I found this most interesting little book in an old bookstore in
Alamagordo, NM.  It surprized me to discover this relatively unknown
explorers journey from Florida to Mexico City in the first decade of the
1500's!  This modern translation of his journals recounts THE first account
of Indian tribes, customs, landforms, flora and fauna of the interior of
the southern U.S..

Many times in my thruhike I came across a sweeping vista and was struck
with the question of: "I wonder if this looks as it did to the very first
human, European, Indian, or whatever to view this panorama?"  This book is
an account of sometimes terrible and sometimes wonderful situations,
encounters with Indians and mother nature through the eyes of the first
European into these areas.  The modern translation puts in familiar
geographic names across parts of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Lousiana,
Texas and New Mexico.

I'm not sure where you would find a copy, so . . . good luck.

Greg "Strider" Hummel
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