The Broken Spears Audiobook By Miguel León-Portilla cover art

The Broken Spears

The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico

 Preview

Audible Standard 30-day free trial

Try Standard free
Select 1 audiobook a month from our entire collection of titles.
Yours as long as you’re a member.
Get unlimited access to bingeable podcasts.
Standard auto renews for $8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Broken Spears

By: Miguel León-Portilla
Narrated by: Jason Manu Olazabal
Try Standard free

$8.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.18

Buy for $18.18

For hundreds of years, the history of the conquest of Mexico and the defeat of the Aztecs has been told in the words of the Spanish victors. Miguel León-Portilla has long been at the forefront of expanding that history to include the voices of indigenous peoples. In this new and updated edition of his classic The Broken Spears, León-Portilla has included accounts from native Aztec descendants across the centuries. These texts bear witness to the extraordinary vitality of an oral tradition that preserves the viewpoints of the vanquished instead of the victors. León-Portilla's new Postscript reflects upon the critical importance of these unexpected historical accounts. Civilization Expeditions & Discoveries Indigenous Studies World Mexico Americas Ancient Specific Demographics Social Sciences

Critic reviews

A moving and powerful account, a unique reading experience which should not be missed by any reader interested in history.—Los Angeles Times
All stars
Most relevant
Pretty boring with not much evidence to back up some of the claims . We shall never know the true details of the massacre of cholo or how Montezuma died.

Better books on this subject.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I enjoyed learning about the various perspectives of the pre - and post colonial Mexico. Epic stories, religious conversations, and a good narrator help create more context and backstory to understanding this era of history.

Great narrative and good reader

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It’s a bit uneasy listening to someone that can’t read a full sentence without repeatedly pausing before completing the sentence

Poor narration

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
its word choice is embarrassing. Its opening statement that the conquered don't tell there story. This book is exactly that its collection of writings are heavily influenced by spanish propaganda. It reads as if a the spanish tried to use the azteca people to give more credibility but its still all propaganda and fake demeaning against the antics. it does the opposite of what it "set out to do" I see right theough this books purpose which is a new propaga

Uh yeah this book is trash.nda.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.