At the Moon's Inn (Library Alabama Classics) (Paperback)

by ANDREW LYTLE (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Lytle has an extraordinary feeling for the sound and shape of a period. He has re-created the conquistadors... and at the same time has told a credible and exciting tale of human endeavor and defeat." - The New Yorker "Nobody in modern fiction is better than Lytle with battle scenes, a lesson learned well in his biography of Forrest and practiced with convincing effect not only in The Long Night, but also in At the Moon's Inn." - John Tyree Fain, Segments of Southern Renaissance "Andrew Lytle, the potent novelist of The Long Night, At the Moon's Inn, A Name for Evil, and The Velvet Horn [has written] titles never to be forgotten, if we are allowed to find them." - The National Review" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: University Alabama Press (September 30, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817305114
• ISBN-13: 978-0817305116
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,054,794 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lost in the Wilderness , July 12, 2007

By	K. Michael Derby "College administrator and ... (Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

While Andrew Lytle is best known for his role with the Nashville Agrarians, he also was an excellent historical novelist. Some of his best works, such as the novel "At the Moon's Inn" and the novella "Alchemy", deal with Spain in the New World. While one would not think colonial Spain would be fertile ground for Lytle's Agrarian vision, his message comes through very clearly in this interesting, insightful and exciting novel.

Lylte examines the ill fated and unproductive De Soto expedition which, in three years, discovered the Mississippi, ravaged the natives of the Southeast and found nothin in terms of treasure, found no colonies and made no converts to Christianity. In an excellent first scene, Lytle has heroes of the Reconquista and the legendary survivor da Vaca warn Soto and his men about what waits for them in La Florida. Lytle then takes the reader through the New World where the Spanish turn their backs on all the glories of Western Civilization and the moral foundations of the Christian faith in search of gold. This is refinforced by memories of Columbus and descriptions of him as an alchemist and a confession from a ghost at the end of the novel. Dreams of fortune can destroy men as they cut the ties of the past and wander in an unfamiliar wilderness. That is certainly a key aspect of Lytle's vision.

The introduction is excellent on Soto and scholarship of that never conquered conquisidor. It is not as good on Lytle and M. E. Bradford's essay on "Alchemy" and "At the Moon's Inn" may be a better place to start. There is also one of the stangest blurbs I have ever seen on a book on the back cover of the Library of Alabama Classics paperback from, of all people, former Sen. Bob Graham of Florida praising Soto. It's fair to say ole Bob did not read the book. Lytle's book is devestating to Soto in this provactive and satisfying novel.