Judas at the Jockey Club and Other Episodes of Porfirian Mexico (Second Edition) [Paperback]

William H. Beezley (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0803262175 | ISBN-13: 978-0803262171 | Publication Date: April 1, 2004 | Edition: 2

This brilliant and eminently readable cultural history looks at Mexican life during the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz, from 1876 to 1911. At that time Mexico underwent modernization, which produced a fierce struggle between the traditional and the new and exacerbating class antagonisms. In these pages, the noted historian William H. Beezley illuminates many facets of everyday Mexican life lying at the heart of this conflict and change, including sports, storytelling, healthcare, technology, and the traditional Easter-time Judas burnings that became a primary focus of the strife during those years. This second edition features a new preface by the author as well as updated and expanded text, notes, and bibliography.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Just beneath the surface of this seemingly lighthearted little book is a very thick foundation of solid scholarship. The author succeeds admirably in opening a window to the minds of turn-of-the-century Mexicans pursuing the elusive idea of progress. Beezley looks at bicycle riding, cockfighting, sports, and Judas burning, as activities that illustrate the psychological pushes and pulls that characterized this important period of Mexican history. He has provided undergraduates and graduate students with a delightfully written, unique example of what social history is about. Nicholas P. Cushner, History Department, Empire State College, State University of New York at Buffalo
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“In three superbly crafted and incisive essays, William H. Beezley examines the leisure culture of high society and the traditional culture of ‘everyday Mexicans’ and their interaction and clash. . . . Witty and entertaining but also thought-provoking.”—American Historical Review

(American Historical Review )

“A book that will be read and enjoyed, and that will illuminate succeeding generations of Mexican history students. . . . A landmark study of Mexican cultural history.”—Journal of American Folklore

(Journal of American Folklore )

“Just beneath the surface of this seemingly lighthearted little book is a very thick foundation of solid scholarship. The author succeeds admirably in opening a window to the minds of turn-of-the-century Mexicans pursuing the elusive idea of progress. . . . A delightfully written, unique example of what social history is about.”—Library Journal

(Library Journal )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 189 pages
• Publisher: Bison Books; 2 edition (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0803262175
• ISBN-13: 978-0803262171
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #96,572 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #61 in Books > History > Americas > Mexico

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who knew that cultural history could be this much fun?, July 13, 2000

By 

Jim Creechan (Edmonton, Alberta Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Judas at the Jockey Club and other Episodes of Porfirian Mexico (Paperback)

This is a book that deserves to be more widely known. It is a serious historical treatise about culture, social life and customs during the Porfiriato regime of Mexico (1875-1910)- but don't let the academic theme frighten you. Judas at the Jockey Club is an excellent and fascinating read that considers topics like "why and how horse-racing came to Mexico", "why and how baseball became popular", "why cricket faded from popularity", and "what bicycles have to do with politics". Serious scholarship should all be this much fun.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How could they let this book go out of print?, June 27, 2001

By 

Anne Rubenstein (Toronto) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Judas at the Jockey Club and Other Episodes of Porfirian Mexico (Hardcover)

This is one of the books I recommend most frequently when people ask for fun stuff to read, in English, about Mexico. And I frequently assign it to students in intro-level history classes. I'm not entirely convinced by the chapter on rural life, but the book as a whole belongs among the best histories of the late nineteenth/early twentieth century period in Latin America. Dang! Now what will I assign my students? Bring this back into print, please!

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but somehow obvious, June 23, 2001

By 

Baldasarre Maria (Buenos Aires Argentina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Judas at the Jockey Club and other Episodes of Porfirian Mexico (Paperback)

The essay is serious and full of good archive work, scholarly ok, but in some parts one expects wilder conclusions and not only a simple comment on the information provided by the documents or news papers. Apart from that, the author must be sincere, and inform in advance to the reader that he will dedicate much of this work to the ways in which the american culture (sports) spread in Mexico. Many of the conclusions he arrive to, are too obvious and general for the ones who do research in XIX Century Latin America Cultural Studies. [Sorry for any mistakes in my written english]