beza de Vaca's report is, in fact, a captivity narrative specific to Spanish Catholic culture and standards.
- Goodman, Nan. "Mercantilism and Cultural Difference in Cabeza de Vaca's 'Relacion'." Early American Literature 40.2 (2005): 229-50.
- Although Goodman views Cabeza de Vaca as a kind of "renaissance man" for his unusually realistic and sympathetic texts, she argues such praises may elicit overly compassionate sentiments from unfamiliar readers. He is a human, not a legend. His writings clearly exemplify a man who still considers himself separate from the "Others," making exaggerated felicitation superfluous and misleading. Goodman disputes fellow scholars' claims that Cabeza de Vaca was an early ethnographer. Rather, he states de Vaca was simply an observer, not a scientist. Keeping the time of publication in mind during analysis of La Relación places the subject matter in the correct context. His attempts at accommodation and appeasement are still wildly unconventional in contrast to Spanish imperialism and mercantilism. However, if mercantilism is such an important factor in explaining the goals of The Conquest, then perhaps Cabeza de Vaca's works should also be viewed in such light. Goodman's focus lies in the interpretation of La Relación as a description of native trade, market productivity, and population density. He claims his investigation still centers on studying hybridity, only now utilizing Cabeza de Vaca's cultural handbook to scrutinize the relationship between political agendas, mercantilism, and social objectives, and their effects on Cabeza de Vaca's identity.
- Hallenbeck, Clive. Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca: The Journey and Route of the First European to Cross the Continent of North America, 1534-1536. Glendale: Arthur H.Clarke, 1940.
- Hallenbeck's book includes a paraphrase of Cabeza de Vaca's narrative and a detailed analysis of the possible routes of Cabeza de Vaca's journey on foot from Florida to Mexico. The book includes maps and chapters devoted to Cabeza de Vaca's routes through Texas, the Southwestern United States, and northern Mexico. Hallenbeck devotes the last part of his book to offering the opinions about the transcontinental route of Cabeza de Vaca by a variety of scholars including Adolphe Bandelier, Hubert Howe Bancroft, J.N. Baskett, Benjamin Read, R.E. Twitchell, and Davenport and Wells. Hallenbeck concludes that the discrepancies in Cabeza de Vaca's account of his travels are "the result of confused recollections and not of intentional misrepresentation" (28).
- Hickerson, Nancy P. "Rituals of Confrontation: Cabeza de Vaca and the Texas Indians." Intertexts 1.2 (1997): 169-76.
- Hickerson discusses the erroneous interpretation that the Spanish people were welcomed into the Native world as Gods and showered with gifts as a superior people. Rather, it was common practice to shower all travelers with gifts as a sign of hospitality, respect, and hope that the favor would be exchanged later. Cabeza de Vaca's state as a healing Shaman, not his Spanish heritage, would also command great respect. Hickerson warns against perceiving Cabeza de Vaca as a "conqueror," pointing out several instances in which he successfully assimilates to such a degree that the Natives viewed him and his comrades as "their" Spaniards -- Spaniards not associated with the Christian conquerors.
- Howard, David A. Conquistador in Chains: Cabeza de Vaca and the Indians of the Americas. Tuscaloosa: U of Alabama P, 1997.
- Howard's book focuses on Cabeza de Vaca's treatment of Native Americans during his period of wandering the American Southwest and his term as governor of Rio de la Plata. Howard suggests in his preface that Cabeza de Vaca's notions of justice and liberty towards the native were "entirely Spanish," and, despite good intentions, he was "an imperialist who imagined that the policies of the government of Spain might be achieved in America by just and humane means under Spanish law" (xi). Howard, however, does set Cabeza de Vaca's policies apart from the generally cruel, tyrannical, and brutal acti