Mexico Books

The archives of the inquisition have been preserved in Mexico, including detailed testimony recounting actual conversations. The book reads like a novel but it's history. Cohen must have been truly obsessed in order to do the research and write such a book. It's a compelling read.

The book is very interesting and gives a historical jewish perspective in New Spain during the late 1500's. I became interested in the book because my ancestor Juan Ramirez probably emigrated with Luis Carvajal (Conquistador) in 1580.

loved the photos
very authenice
spent some time in tulum, this was a great mkeepsake of the trip.

A food rich in flavor to begin with, but taking on the best traits of other traditions of cuisine - Spanish, French, Asian, Caribbean, and so many more - it's one way to describe the food of the Maya. "Mayan Cuisine: Recipes From the Yucatan Region" is a look at the delectable food of the Mayan people, with step by step guides and full color photos to help one emulate the authentic Mayan flavor in their own kitchen. With Dishes like: Meat-and-Rice Stuffed Leaves, Tamale Pie, Yucatan Breakfast Sausages, and more, "Mayan Cuisine: Recipes From the Yucatan Region" is a must for any ethnic cookbook shelf or for anyone looking for a different taste to sink their teeth into.

Reviewing a photo book is extremely subjective. I first read this book 5 years ago when I started college and wasn't impressed by it. I picked it up again last year and see the pictures with new eyes. The pictures and writing create a piece of literature more about humanity, independence and will than Mennonites. It is my Bible.

This is a beautiful book, with wonderful reprodution of photography.
A joy to have in my book collection!

This is a book of photographs of the interiors of Churches in Mexico, and their shrines and alters, and saints which adorn them.

Porter's photographs capture a religious grace which is direct, simple, beautiful, and moving. Seeing these pictures gives an outsider into a window on a world in which life may be difficult, but heart and faith are celebrated and strong.

Contiene una amplia colección de fotografías que muestran la gran variedad y riqueza arquitectónica de las iglesias de México, algunas de las cuales son poco conocidas, y que en cierta medida deben su esplendor al sincretismo cultural hispano-indígena. Las fotografías fueron tomadas alrededor de 1956, por el excelente fotógrafo, sobre todo de paisajes, Eliot Porter (quién abandonó la fotografía por la medicina).

It contains a large colection of photos that shows the great variety and arquitectonic richness of Mexican churches, some of them are not well know, and their splendor is in certain way product of the cultural hispano-indian sincretism. The photos were taken around 1956 by the excelent photographer, landscape specialist, Eliot Porter (who quit medicine for photography).

I am always skeptical about books written on Mexico by foreigners. However, Michael Hogan who has lived in the country for more than a decade is a careful, although often critical and sometimes humorous, observer. He also has an obvious love and affinity for the Mexican character and writes about it accurately and well. The book contains observations on the effect of globalization on the Mexican economy, a night at a Mexican concert with the Tigres del Norte, a revolution in Chiapas, a university riot,a meeting with Fidel Castro when he comes to Guadalajara, as well as more tranquil moments riding in the forests or hiking the mountains.
The book is far better than any tour guides I have read, especially of the Guadalajara area, both with its descriptions of the people and the flora and fauna. It is an expatriate equivalent to the Labyrinth of Solitude by Octavio Paz, who by the way, is an inspiring presence in several of the essays.
For someone visiting Mexico for the first time, this is a valuable handbook. For someone who has chosen Mexican as their adopted country it provides clear evidence that it was a correct choice. For all Mexicans living outside the country, and for those who have visited and not yet returned, it clearly evokes the love and the longing that so many have for this land south of the border. Hogan writes lovingly of the person and the poetry of Richard Shelton here as well. For those, like myself, who are enarmored by the Tucson poet, it is a refreshing visit to an old friend who also has strong conenctions to Mexico. All in all, a wonderful read. Hogan has an accesible style with occasional flashes of brilliance and a quiet but poignant wit.

This is Dr. Michael Hogan's latest book, a collection of essays written over the past decade while the author has lived and taught in Guadalajara, Mexico. This is quite possibly his best book, displaying a wide range of topics and an incredible maturity and intelligence that only comes when one's perspectives have been expanded. In one essay, "Letter to a Troubled Student," he deals with the Zapatista uprising of Chiapas, Mexico, telling his student that it is not scary that a group of Indians are taking on the Mexican government, but that, in any war, the truth is always the first victim. To him, and to a lot of us, that is truly scary. Through this essay, marked for its open-mindedness and its intelligence, Hogan is able to explain how his fears transcend the egocentric level, acheiving a greater understanding and universality.
This is the modus operandi for the rest of the book, which is a collection of essays written in Mexico over a period of the past ten years. They relate the expatriate experience, but they differ from other expatriate books because these essays are observations told through the eyes of a person who is committed to the lifelong quest of knowledge, a person who is committed to learning about his surroundings. All the essays are examples of a deep thought process, and one gets the realization that the author is just as much the teacher as he is the student.
One of the best examples of this, and also one of the defining elements of the book itself is the obvious influence that Mexican Poet Octavio Paz had and still has on Hogan's life. Paz's presence is everywhere in the book; the musicality of his poetry helping Hogan the young boy overcome his stuttering problem, the incisive nature of his essays helping Hogan the teacher in teaching the Odyssey to his ninth graders, the profound depth of his social critiques helping Hogan the human being understand humanity and the Mexican better.
This book is a deep, insightful study into the psychology of the expatriate. In my opinion it is a peer to that other great book about the human condition, "The Labyrinth of Solitude." It is also the only expatriate book that is fully able to document the reasons why a person chooses to leave his home country. It interacts with the reader on many levels, displaying intelligence, while appealing to the poets, the teachers, the scholars, the human beings in all of us. It also displays a deep love for a country that is not the native land for the author, nor for many expatriates. And it is this love that makes the book, and the essays within so compelling. I am reminded at this point, while searching for the place to end my review, of some lyrics from the song "Atlanta" by the Stone Temple Pilots.

"Visions of Mexico seduce me,
It goes to my head so carefully."

Jowett and de Quesada bring the Mexican Revolution to life through their text. Stephen Walsh illustrated this Osprey Elite book. The Mexican Revolution was overshadowed by the Great War, even though the Revolution lasted longer. The authors note that the Mexican Revolution was really a series of conflicts between many different factions--including the United States government. Much of the Revolution would be classified as terrorism or war crimes today.

I learned quite a bit from this small book. The color plates surprised me--American Navy shore party personnel dyed their tropical whites? Makes sense, but I'd have hated to be aboard teh battleship Florida when the crew had to replace their white uniforms! The role of the machine gun in Mexico surprised me, given the chronic ammunition shortages--though the artillery poverty was expected. Money is required, cash in advance, before those "merchants of death" will transfer their wares.

The book contains a comprehensive chronology of the Revolution, plus descriptions of the major combatants. The color plates show representatives of the biggest factions, rounded out by period photographs. Unlike most Osprey books, there is no bibliography to cross-reference. I miss that.

Mexico's Revolution was regarded with fear in Washington at the time. There was suspicion of Imperial German instigation--much like the current War on Terror, the evidence was flimsy or provably false, but there was some German interest in exploiting unrest in Mexico. I think that the Mexican Revolution is still simmering, that it was never concluded. But what do I know?

The Mexican Revolution was the first of the great revolutionary struggles that were to remake the Twentieth Century. The Revolution last over ten years and would claim over a million victims. It is a very complex story with colorful characters, numerous bloody uprisings and too many political twists and turns to be easily understood. Jowett and de Quesada have a too large a story to tell in only sixty four pages. But within the confines of the Osprey format, they do an admirable job of describing the major contours of the conflict. It is the type of primer that will wet the appetite for further study.

The real strength of the book is in the photos and illustrations. The Mexican Revolution was one of the most photographed conflicts of the early Twentieth Century. Like most Osprey publications, this book is mainly interested in the material culture of the conflict. The authors take great pride in naming and documenting the material of warfare. I have other photographic histories of the Mexican Revolution and this volume is the perfect reference to help me better understand and interpret those other book's photos.

Finally, for anyone whose appetite for the study of the Mexican Revolution has been wetted by this book, I recommend Anita Brenner's, "The Wind that Swept Mexico." It is one of the best photographic histories of the Revolution.

If you got this far, you are probably going to buy this book, since it is the only survey in English of the rich history of photography in Mexico. But in case you have any doubts about spending the 40 odd dollars, put them out of your mind, since it is really a great art book, even if you aren't interested in Mexico or photography! Reads like a series of fascinating "tales"....I'm a very biased reviewer but thought someone had to be the first to review this excellent book.

This book has received an Honorable Mention from the 2001 Southern Books Competition. "One of the challenges of book design is to thoughtfully create a readable and engaging package for outstanding intellectual content. Jose Orozco Farias has done an exemplary job here and deserves warm praise. Color continuity from jacket through title page to chapter openings is exceptional. The table of contents is clear, simple and easy to use. Chapter openings are beautiful. Images are thoughtfully and effectively arranged. The text is extremely readable with thoughtful use of white space." Congratulations to the authors, designer Jose Clemente Orozco Farias, and the University of Texas Press.

Otis Singletary's The Mexican War is a concise and excellent overview of the war. Its greatest strength is the way it brings the personalities and personal conflicts to life. It provides great insight into the way politics intruded upon the prosecution of the war.

I had to review this book for a historical book review and it read like a breeze through the part describing the battles of the war. The political part after the war part was intresting but not as exciting as the former. This is a great read for fans of the Mexican War and even though of the Civil War.

Once in every decade, an author produces a book that provokes debate and sheds light on a topic analyzed from an entirely fresh perspective. Mike Mazarr's Mexico 2005 is just such a book. This work approaches Mexico through a challenging and articulate framework of six global trends, ranging from the changing allocation of human resources to that of human psychology. The author concludes with a series of probable, controversial scenarios in 2005. The book is rich in insights and piques the reader's interest at every turn of the page. Mazarr's lucid writing and wide-ranging, eclectic themes will appeal to students, academics, the business community, government officials, and the media. Anyone interested in Mexico today and Mexico in the 21st century should read this book.

This is an intriguing analytical summary of the major political, economic, and social trends in Mexico. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the author's scenarios or conclusions, there is a lot to learn here and ponder over. If decisionmakers can read only one book on Mexico, MEXICO 2005 would be an excellent choice.

Different and refreshing approach to Mexican history. Insightful and informative selections from both well known and more obscure original sources. Sections are brief and on point. Excellent bedside book. Outstanding as a stand alone work and valuable as a reference to more complete treatment of subjects you find particularly interesting. Balanced and objective. Best work on Mexico I've read in quite some time.

Anyone looking for documents for use in a history class, would be well advised to use this text.