Lieutenant Nun, Catalina De Erauso
Lieutenant Nun, Catalina De Erauso
List: $28.00 | Sale: $19.60
Club: $14.00

Lieutenant Nun
The True Story of a Cross-Dressing, Transatlantic Adventurer Who Escaped From a Spanish Convent in 1599 and Lived as a Man

Author: Catalina De Erauso

Narrator: Adriana Pascua

Unabridged: 3 hr 25 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/13/2024


Synopsis

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. 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.

About The Author

Catalina de Erauso was born in Spain in either 1585 or 1592, according to disputed records, and died in 1650. Raised and educated in a convent, de Erauso refused to conform to the strict nature of the environment and, disguising herself in men’s clothing, escaped in 1600. As a fugitive, she then traveled to various countries and joined the Chilean military, climbing the ranks. Her story is told in Lieutenant Nun: Memoirs of a Basque Transvestite, which was originally wrote or dictated, and eventually published, in Paris in 1829.


Reviews

Goodreads review by HM on October 17, 2008

I read this for a class I am TAing--- it is actually quite dull, no emotion whatsover... it is basically a very long winded timeline.......more

Goodreads review by Nicole ✨Reading Engineer✨ on November 16, 2018

This was an interesting book, as it details the one of the first autobiographies from a female. And one that cross dresses no less. It was a fast read and enjoyable, if you can over look all the murder. I personally do not think Catalina is a good role model, but her story is intriguing.......more

Goodreads review by Pedaleo on February 21, 2025

Una lástima que no exista hasta ahora una producción audiovisual que siga el derrotero de Catalina o Antonio por América y su vida antes de la visita al Papa (la película de María Félix no alcanza) En estas memorias hay una trama de acción, pillería, bajezas y un relato vivo a las colonias desde los......more

Goodreads review by Stacia on February 23, 2016

While a woman dressing as a man is nothing new in the annals of history, reading this straighforward, picaresque autobiography is something fairly different. My Spanish bil confirmed for me that Catalina is indeed a Spanish (folk)hero. Reading of her exploits & adventures provided a fascinating glim......more

Goodreads review by Iris on December 24, 2023

-He was the best guy arouuuund -What about the people he murdered? -What murdaaah?......more


Quotes

A rollicking, swashbuckling tale. -Los Angeles Times

"The frontier nun's rascally tale [is] a fascinating puzzle to decipher." -Angeline Goreau, The New York Times Book Review

"A mesmerizing adventure!" -Tama Janowitz

"[Catalina de Erauso] dared to steal the quest narrative from the roving men of her time and, miraculously, survived to tell the tale. An essential work for recovering the roots of women's autobiography and women's remaking of identity through encounters with otherness, not only in society but in the self." -Ruth Behar, author of The Vulnerable Observer

"The Steptos' translation, without betraying the original, turns this memoir into compelling literature in English." -Roberto González Echevarría, Sterling Professor of Hispanic and Comparative Literatures, Yale University