Fire And Blood: A History Of Mexico [Paperback]

T. R. Fehrenbach (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 22, 1995

There have been many Mexicos: the country of varied terrain, of Amerindian heritage, of the Spanish Conquest, of the Revolution, and of the modern era of elections and the rule of bankers. Mexico was forged in the fires of successive civilizations, and baptized with the blood of millions, all of whom added tragic dimensions to the modern Mexican identity. T. R. Fehrenbach brilliantly delineates the contrasts and conflicts between them, unraveling the history while weaving a fascinating tapestry of beauty and brutality: the Amerindians, who wrought from the vulnerable land a great indigenous Meso-American civilization by the first millennium B.C.; the successive reigns of Olmec, Maya, Toltec, and Mexic masters, who ruled through an admirably efficient bureaucracy and the power of the priests, propitiating the capricious gods with human sacrifices; the Spanish conquistadors, who used smallpox, technology, and their own ruthless individualism to erect a new tyranny over the ruins of the old; the agony of independent Mexico, struggling with the weight of its overwhelming past and tremendous potential. Throughout the narrative the author resurrects the great personalities of Mexican history, such as Motecuhzoma, Cortes, Santa Anna, Juárez, Maximilian, Díaz, Pancho Villa, and Zapata. Fehrenbach, who has updated this edition to include recent events, has created a work of scholarly perspective and gripping prose.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

T. R. Fehrenbach,a native Texan, is the author of several books, including Fire and Blood: A History of Mexico and Comanches: The Destruction of a People, both available from Da Capo. He lives in San Antonio.

Product Details

• Paperback: 702 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; Upd Sub edition (March 22, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306806282
• ISBN-13: 978-0306806285
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #413,381 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Read this book critically, but read it., May 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Fire And Blood: A History Of Mexico (Paperback)

This book is a good introduction to the history of Mexico and is generally pretty readable. It gives a good picture of the complex and difficult history of the country, particularly from the time of the conquest until the mid-twentieth century. I would recommend reading this book because you will learn a lot. However, his view of the treatment of indiginous peoples seems dated and quite unsympathetic. It seems that the author has a particular dislike for some unnamed leftist intellectuals who might sympathize or romaticize the country's indiginous past. He spends far too much time tediously attacking some anonymous group that might insist on the importance of Mexico's Pre-Columbian past as a bunch of foolish romantics. In fact, a major theme of this book is to dispell any myth of Mexico as a country with a real Pre-Columbian heritage. Whether this is true seems debatable. Likewise, he spends an awful lot of time apologizing and excusing actions taken by the various Mexican governments. Having said all that, I still think it's a good introduction to Mexican history. I just recommend that you read it with a critical eye.

38 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of Fehrenbach's best., March 10, 2000

By 

tom meurer (dallas, tx USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fire And Blood: A History Of Mexico (Paperback)

Heavy book but an easy read. I have been trying to understand Mexico and reading all I can. The better books have been Conquest by Thomas, Mexico by Krauze and LaCapita by Kandell. Fehrenbach surpasses them all by a factor of two. For a "non-fiction" reader it is a smooth read and chunked full of significant observations and facts that a "Gringo" needs to understand when dealing with Mexico. It is a must read for the business executive working in Mexico as well as the historian trying to understand Mexico's feelings towards the United States.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Insight into the Mexican Culture, April 5, 2007

By 

Ross Stephen Hardin (Fredericksburg, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fire And Blood: A History Of Mexico (Paperback)

Having traveled and lived in Mexico most of my life, I was constantly exposed to certain aspects of every day life that just didn't seem to fit with my Anglo raising. Even though I spent forty five years immersed in the Mexican Culture there were certain things I just didn't understand. T.R. Fehrenbach's Fire and Blood answered most of my life long questions.

The book is a meticulously researched, chronological history of the country known as Mexico. The book gives a detailed account of why citizens of Mexico today think and act the way they do; their philosophy of life, their relationship with the Catholic Church and their attitude toward a centralized government. If you could choose one or two sentences from the book that explain one of the basic differences between the Hispanic Culture and that of the remainder of North America it is Fehrenbach's assertion that while the rest of North America was colonized by settlers and explorers, the men arriving in Mexico from Spain were "Conquistadors", conquerors. That difference is what makes Mexico the wonderful country it is today.

This book should be mandatory reading for anyone considering a business venture, or currently involved in business or trade with in Mexico. The insight you will receive can not be learned in a life time of living and working in the country. The same can be said for anyone interested in living or traveling in the country. It will help relieve some of the Anglo's misunderstanding and frustrations as to why the citizens of Mexico don't "do it" like we do.