Government [Hardcover]

B. Traven (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 242 pages
• Publisher: Allison & Busby; First UK Edition edition (1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0850313562
• ISBN-13: 978-0850313567
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,430,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Traven sees thru all the muck & mire and let's you in on it!, February 25, 2000

By 

C. Magill "clyde-o" (knoxville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Government (Jungle Novels) (Paperback)

This was my first B. Traven book, and I am hooked. His satirical wit and narrative prose are well constructed. A simple story about early 20th century Mexico. Traven follows characters through the story and makes reading easy. The interesting thing is how true some of the same bureacracy and logic of those times is still with us in this modern day. After having traveled extensively in Mexico, it also gives me a better understanding of the plight of the indigenous people and the history behind their current governmental structure. The insight garnered is not country specific, however, as the same systems can be found in all walks of life, countries, and governments. Highly recommended!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ, December 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Government (Jungle Novels) (Paperback)

GOVERNMENT should be required reading in every High School civics class. Beyond its relevance to actual Mexican history, and its introduction to Traven's amazing Jungle series, it does an expert and entertaining job of describing the prevelant corruption that most, if not all, modern goverments eventually (often rapidly) employ. Also a must read also for all voters and elected officials.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Government" presages the 1994 Zapatista rebellion, December 10, 2006

By 

Evan D Ravitz (Boulder, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Government (Paperback)

Amazing fact: in Government, published 1931, Traven has the rebels in Chiapas commandeer an army post while the troops are drunk on New Years Eve. This is exactly what happened on Jan. 1, 1994 when the Zapatista rebels seized the army base near San Cristobal de las Casas and procured their weapons. I don't know if the rebels took their cue from Traven, or if it was coincidence, but this is a case of reality imitating fiction.