Death in the Snow

Contributor: W. George Lovell W. George Lovell is professor of geography at Queen’s University and visiting professor in Latin American history at the Universidad Pablo de Olavide in Seville, Spain.

"The combination of myriad sources and their critical assessment affords us a fresh look at the events but, more importantly, at the motives of the conquistadors, their rivalries and suspicions, their quest for riches and glory, and their utter ruthlessness. Whenever possible, Lovell also notes the roles played indigenous peoples and enslaved blacks. Last but not least, the book reads very well and will fascinate scholars as well as undergraduates." European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies --- "Death in the Snow is a compelling and illuminating work that expands our understanding of the Spanish conquest beyond its well-known figures and battles. The book’s accessibility makes it engaging to a range of readers, including geographers, historians, Indigenous scholars, and environmental scientists. Lovell’s clear prose and compelling narrative style ensure that even those unfamiliar with the details of sixteenth-century conquest will grasp the significance of his analysis." Journal of Latin American Geography --- “The history of Pedro de Alvarado is highly illustrative of the intrigues that grew out of conquistadors’ ambitions but are rarely mentioned in the “official” history. W. George Lovell masterfully recreates an episode of the conquest that shows what occurred behind the scenes … .” The Americas --- "Accompanied by a rich array of maps and photographs taken directly by the author in the main places of Alvarado's expedition, Lovell's accurate narrative is based on a large and solid bibliography that ranges between Anglophone and Ibero-American studies." Storicamente --- “Drawing from Spanish chronicle sources, archival materials, and transcribed primary source collections, Lovell delivers a highly readable, biographically driven narrative of the little-known episode, and throughout he centers its lamentable consequences on thousands of people because of Alvarado’s rapaciousness.” Hispanic American Historical Review --- “In all the annals of Spanish conquests in the Americas, there is no one to compare with Pedro de Alvarado. This brutal conquistador took a fleet, and many reluctant Guatemalan Mayas, to muscle in on Pizarro’s conquest of the Inca Empire. Defeated by forests, mountains, volcanic eruption, and adverse weather, Alvarado was bought off in a deal to rival one between modern Mafia families. George Lovell tells this lurid, little-known story with clarity and élan.” John Hemming, author of The Conquest of the Incas --- “As George Lovell vividly reveals, Alvarado’s ambitions were boundless, as was his willingness to make Indigenous peoples on two continents suffer for those ambitions. How to tell such a tale of tenacity and tragedy without surrendering to the temptation to turn it into a swashbuckling adventure? Lovell pulls it off by keeping a close and careful eye on his primary sources, skillfully teasing out a history that never glorifies yet remains utterly gripping.” Matthew Restall, author of Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest and When Montezuma Met Cortés: The True Story of the Meeting That Changed History