376 pages / 6.00 x 9.00 inches / no illustrations
Paul E. Hoffman's groundbreaking book focuses on a neglected area of colonial history—southeastern North America during the sixteenth-century. Hoffman describes expeditions to the region, efforts at colonization, and rivalries between the French, Spanish, and English. He reveals the ways in which the explorers' expectations—fueled by legends—crumbled in the face of difficulties encountered along the southeastern coast. The first book to link the earliest voyages with the explorations of the sixteenth century and the settlement of later colonies, Hoffman's work is an important reassessment of southern colonial history.
Paul E. Hoffman is the Paul W. and Nancy W. Murrill Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of History at Louisiana State University.
“This well-written, attractively designed book will long be the standard work on the subject.”—Journal of American History
“[A] thoroughly researched and documented analysis . . . A wealth of detail, a thorough index and bibliography, and a gracefully written text recommend this book highly to anyone interested in the sixteenth century.”—Renaissance Quarterly
“There are unfortunately very few modern historians who specialize in the early modern history of the non-British South. . . . Paul E. Hoffman is among the best of these. . . . This book is an important contribution to the history of sixteenth-century European exploration, and it should be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the colonial history of all of the South.”—Journal of Southern History
“It is a significant breakthrough in both southern and colonial history to have these subjects discussed so fully and knowledgeably for the first time.”—Reviews in American History
“Paul Hoffman’s book is a dazzling example of the best kind of this new scholarly work, transcending but at the same time integrating the expected boundaries of narrative history, anthropology, archaeology, and geography. . . . This is a wonderful book.”—Hispanic American Historical Review
“Hoffman’s book is based on voluminous archival research. . . . [His] accomplishment is most praiseworthy.”—Sixteenth Century Journal
“Hoffman tells a fascinating story. He has researched the Spanish archives and has used solid monographic studies.”—American Historical Review
“The outstanding quality of the book is its research. . . . An important reassessment on the course of exploration and the contest for empire in the sixteenth century.”—American Indian Quarterly
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