Cervantes Street: A Novel

"Renaissance Spain and the Mediterranean [are] made vivid . . . brings to life the real world behind the fantastic exploits of the knight of La Mancha." -The Wall Street Journal

The actual facts of Miguel de Cervantes's life seem to be snatched from an epic tale: An impoverished and talented young poet nearly kills a man in a duel and is forced into exile. Later, he distinguishes himself in battle and is severely wounded, losing the use of his left hand. On his way back to Spain, his ship...