Lieutenant Nun
The True Story of a Cross-dressing, Transatlantic Adventurer Who Escaped From a Spanish Convent in 1599 and Lived As a Man
Beacon Press · Print & ebook · June 30, 1997
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- Who it’s for
- A 1599 escape opens onto a singular autobiography of disguise, danger, and transatlantic adventure.
- Themes
- Gender nonconformity, Adventure and military life, Transatlantic travel
- Pacing
- Fast
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Start with this bookAbout this book
THE TRUE STORY OF A CROSSDRESSING, TRANSATLANTIC ADVENTURER WHO ESCAPED FROM A SPANISH CONVENT IN 1599 AND LIVED AS A MAN—GAMBLING,FIGHTING DUELS, AND LEADING SOLDIERS INTO BATTLE Named a New York Times Book Review Notable Book One of the earliest known autobiographies by a woman, this is the extraordinary tale of Catalina de Erauso, who in 1599 escaped from a Basque convent dressed as a man and went on to live one of the most wildly fantastic lives of any woman in history.
Continue reading
A soldier in the Spanish army, she traveled to Peru and Chile, became a gambler, and even mistakenly killed her own brother in a duel. During her lifetime she emerged as the adored folkloric hero of the Spanish-speaking world. This delightful translation of Catalina's own work introduces a new audience to her audacious escapades.
A Life Unbound
A 1599 escape opens onto a singular autobiography of disguise, danger, and transatlantic adventure.
Come here for
- An early autobiography by a woman, told in her own words
- A restless life across Spain, Peru, and Chile
Expect
- Gambling, duels, and military service in vivid first-person recollection
- A story that unsettles easy ideas about gender and identity
Where it sits
| LGBTQ+ Lives | 64% |
|---|---|
| Women's Lives | 40% |
| Lives in History | 26% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Women's Lives
- 17th-Century History
- Gender Studies
- Authors
- Catalina De Erauso
- Publisher
- Beacon Press
- Published
- June 30, 1997
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Gender nonconformity · Adventure and military life · Transatlantic travel
- Reading lane
- Women's Lives