Hans Staden's True History: An Account of Cannibal Captivity in Brazil

by Hans Staden

Book Overview

In 1550 the German adventurer Hans Staden was serving as a gunner in a Portuguese fort on the Brazilian coast. While out hunting, he was captured by the Tupinamb , an indigenous people who had a reputation for engaging in ritual cannibalism and who, as allies of the French, were hostile to the Portuguese. Staden's True History, first published in Germany in 1557, tells the story of his nine months among the Tupi Indians. It is a dramatic first-person...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822342316
• ISBN13: 9780822342311
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Duke University Press
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Remains excellent, after more than 450 years

I read this excellent book,in a translation to the portuguese, here in Brazil.The author was a man, living where today is Germany. The book is about the amazing adventures of that european man, among the brazilian canibals indians.Each brazilian indian tribe seems to be canibal.Human flesh seems to be the best food, for brazilian indians.Not only canibalism is the subject of this book.The author also tells about how brazilian indians lived, eat, hunt and their religions in XVI century.Do you believe in "good savages"?This book will show you that "good savages" and Santa Claus are both fables.Brazilian indians were ever looking for money, international trade with big european powers and superstitions. Someone will tell that this book was writen, more than 450 years ago.This book remains excellent, because it is about human mentality.And we must recognize that human mentality doesn't changes, even after 450 years later.This is also a short and concise book.This book was a great success in Europe ,in XVI Century. Today, in a time when seems to be normal, to think about Brazil's desintegration using indians rights as a tools for this, this book must be read.Brazilian indians today are looking for the same self-interest of the indians of XVI Century.They are looking for money, big lands and big imported SUVs.The human mind is the same, in all times.