Ferdinand De Soto, The Discoverer of the Mississippi American Pioneers and Patriots

"Ferdinand De Soto, The Discoverer of the Mississippi" by John S. C. Abbott is a historical telling, chronicling the adventures of the explorer Ferdinand De Soto in the 1500s, focusing on his time in the Americas; Through storytelling, the book captures De Soto's experiences, trials, and moral struggles as he faced new lands and dealt with Indigenous populations. The narrative starts by painting a picture of De Soto's early life in Spain, discussing his family history and his education and how this shaped his future. We see a rising tension in Darien with the suffering of people under Don Pedro, and how De Soto begins to emerge facing situations of honor and ethical considerations, setting the stage for his adventures and moral problems in the New World.