In explaining some of his more outlandish exploits; Sherlock Holmes was fond of saying that after eliminating all other possibilities, whatever remains, not matter how improbable, is the answer. Applying this logic to the equally outlandish and seemingly impossible life of Catalina de Erauso one can only assume that if everything in her autobiography is true; then she was gifted with miraculous good luck. Her autobiography, outlining her life-long masquerade, as man is either an amazing example of a woman's ability to stretch the limits of her social status, or one of history's great practical jokes.

Prime among her accomplishments are her ability in not arousing suspicion of her true gender; even when fully exposed. Erauso cites a number of specific moments where in her own words she states she was naked. Whether or not Erauso is being honest is a question that cannot be answered; but if we take this to be true then we must assume that her definition of nudity referred to her being only bare above the waist. In a moment of dry humor, following an arrest in the city of La Plata wherein she was stripped on a rack, instead of the expected discovery of her gender, Erauso writes that a lawyer instead pointed out that she is a Basquero. Her obvious delight in pointing out the various instance where no one guesses her gender disguise makes the case that perhaps some exaggeration exists, if only to make the story more exciting. As such is the case, if some exaggeration is to be expected form the original source, the retelling of her story must certainly be seen as somewhat suspect. The sources of this story come from two basic texts, that of Spanish royal historian Juan Bautista Munoz and Joaquin de Ferrer. In both these cases its argued that some embellishment could have been made in their setting down the story to print, if not purposely, then unwittingly. Stephanie Merrim's review of the story believes Erauso's story to be historically accurate, but states, "…that Erauso herself probably told her story to another writer who then added to what she had related." Although history does correlate the existence of Erauso and the basic tent poles of her life story with documents and witness affidavits, the authenticity of the details remain a matter of personal judgment.
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Catalina de Erauso’s journal tells the fascinating story of her life as a nun turned military and her incredible adventures in South America during colonial times. The single fact that she lived as a man among soldiers in those times is in itself an amazing story.

The foreword by Marjorie Garber gives interesting details about those colonial times when royalty and the priesthood ruled. Garber ponder’s about Catalina de Erauso’s psyche and sexual identity, being careful not to interpret the lieutenant nun’s life solely by today’s cultural Western values.

The book includes interesting notes on the translation. One difficulty was bringing to life a Spanish picaresque style that those who read “El Lazarillo de Tormes” in school might recognize. The translators, Michele and Gabriel Stepto, also faced other difficulties that they discuss. Chief among them, was the inability to translate gender (adjectives ending in O or A), as those gender endings bring into focus her identity.

There is a recent version of Catalina de Erauso’s text in the original Spanish, which I hope to read soon. ( )

http://moloch981.wordpress.com/2014/07/26/storia-della-monaca-alfiere-scritta-da... ( )

Novicia, militar, virgen y casi mártir, pendenciera, pasional, disfrazada casi toda su vida de hombre, Catalina de Erauso, más conocida como la Monja Alférez, es una de las figuras más controvertidas y excepcionales de nuestro Siglo de Oro. Vasca de nacimiento, pasó gran parte de su vida en tierras americanas, desempeñando diferentes oficios y participando en acciones militares. Cuando volvió a España, su fama era ya considerable a ambos lados del Atlántico. El rey Felipe IV le concedió una pensión vitalicia por los servicios prestados a la Corona y el Papa le permitió seguir vistiendo de hombre y continuar su existencia andariega. Aunque su historia se presenta a través de un yo autobiográfico, no sabemos si fue ella quien la escribió, si otra persona la redactó bajo su dictado o si un tercero se documentó sobre la historia y narró unos hechos en lo que la fábula presta un evidente servicio a la historia ( )

This book is a treasure! Throughout history women have gone underground to pursue their chosen professions, and Catalina de Erauso wanted to be a soldier. She got to be one, and wasn't the only military "maid" in the early seventeenth century. The life had its problems as well as its liberations. the tone of the translation is a masterly choice. ( )