The Life and Times of Mexico [Paperback]

Earl Shorris (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 17, 2006

A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of 2004. "A work of scope and profound insight into the divided soul of Mexico."--History Today

The Life and Times of Mexico is a grand narrative driven by 3,000 years of history: the Indian world, the Spanish invasion, Independence, the 1910 Revolution, the tragic lives of workers in assembly plants along the border, and the experiences of millions of Mexicans who live in the United States. Mexico is seen here as if it were a person, but in the Aztec way; the mind, the heart, the winds of life; and on every page there are portraits and stories: artists, shamans, teachers, a young Maya political leader; the rich few and the many poor. Earl Shorris is ingenious at finding ways to tell this story: prostitutes in the Plaza Loreto launch the discussion of economics; we are taken inside two crucial elections as Mexico struggles toward democracy; we watch the creation of a popular "telenovela" and meet the country's greatest living intellectual. The result is a work of magnificent scope and profound insight into the divided soul of Mexico. 3 maps, 32 pages of illustrations

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This threatens to be one more of those hefty tomes that Mexico has a way of inspiring. But fear not: this 3,000-year history not only distinguishes itself in a field of worthy contenders but does so with flair and insight. An essayist, novelist (Under the Fifth Sun), sociologist (Latinos: A Biography of the People) and National Humanities Medal recipient, Shorris employs his Renaissance man-of-letters credentials to great effect here. Eschewing a more traditional political point of entry to the U.S.'s southern neighbor, he structures a series of narratives, vignettes and analysis around the Aztec concepts of head, heart and liver. Tonalli, the center of vital power, is the section on history and philosophy. Teyolia, the soul located in the heart, treats art and literature, family and essential character. Ihiyotl, located in the liver, is the center of survival and covers education, economics, politics, corruption and race. Shorris closes with a look to the future and two oral histories, deliberately contrasting "other, far less edited" voices with his own. Though there are more than a few moments when Shorris's prose veers dangerously close to purple, the overall effect is a beautiful, passionate and powerful account of a nation that American readers can ill afford to ignore. 32 pages of illus., 3 maps not seen by PW.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

With Hispanics now the largest minority group in the U.S., and the North American Free Trade Agreement becoming a dominant issue in this year's presidential election, the importance of the U.S. relationship with Mexico has increased faster than you can say "Viva Bush." Likewise, Mexico itself has transformed dramatically over the past century; once a rural land of farmers, it today tops 100 million people, three-fourths of whom live in cities. And now, says Shorris, this nation known for its "obsession with history" must tackle critical problems--reforming its political-party system, developing new industries, ensuring equality for its indigenous population--to move into the future. In this important, impassioned book, Shorris offers a sweeping look at the country that first entranced him as a child, tracing its history from 3,000 B.C.E., when hunter-gatherers domesticated corn and thus remade society, and delving into art, education, race, corruption, and philosophy. It's elegantly and simply written, and the author expertly uses the lives of everyday Mexicans to tell the story and draw in the reader. Andy Boynton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 800 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (January 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393327671
• ISBN-13: 978-0393327670
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #813,651 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling history and much more, November 22, 2004

By 

Rosana Hart (Colorado and Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Life and Times of Mexico (Hardcover)

It's rare that I become so absorbed in a work of history that I gobble the book up. But I've become absorbed in The Life and Times of Mexico, by Early Shorris, an American who has a fascinating depth of understanding of Mexican history and has had friends at all levels of Mexican society, all over the country.

There's an awful lot of tragedy and death in any country's history, and I've known enough about that aspect of Mexico's history that I almost didn't pick this book up. But I did, and I have been saying, "Aha!" in every chapter. For example, it's widely known that in the Mayan culture, time was a central concept. Shorris brings this forward to here and now. Here's a quote:

"Wars between the Maya forces were based on issues related to time. Entire city-states engaged in war and destroyed one another over questions of time all through the history of pre-Hispanic Mexico. And battles over time have not ended but continue in other forms in Mexico, reminders of the long shadows of history, the genes of culture. The mayor of Mexico City, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, and President Vicente Fox differed over the use of daylight savings time. As a result, all Mexico except Mexico City operated on daylight savings time. The argument over the control of time in Mexico City led to neighbors, businesses, and governement bureaus choosing different versions of the correct hours. Leftists and rightists set their watches to different times. It was both ridiculous and chaotic... Eventually the Mexican Supreme Court brought the left-of-center party (PRD) into conformance with the rest of the country."

This sort of tale is woven through the book. I highly recommend The Life and Times of Mexico, which just came out a few months ago, for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of the historical contemporary forces in Mexico. I have had to skim over some of the military sections, but even in them, I've learned useful things.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sweeping survey of the foundations which have made Mexico what it is today, April 27, 2006

By 

D. Donovan, Editor/Sr. Reviewer "California B... (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Life and Times of Mexico (Hardcover)

For a weighty but surprisingly easily-accessed history of Mexico, don't miss THE LIFE AND TIMES OF MEXICO: a narrative of 3,000 years of Mexican history and culture which ranges from social and political insights to overviews of Mexico's ethnic and indigenous cultures. For over sixty years essayist and critic Earl Shorris had a physical and spiritual connection to Mexico, producing numerous acclaimed writings as a result of this inspiration and connection. His LIFE AND TIMES OF MEXICO represents something different, though: a sweeping survey of the foundations which have made Mexico what it is today. A 'must' for any who would understand the culture and sentiments which make up modern Mexico.

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Life and Times of Mexico, November 29, 2004

By 

sharon mcmullen orlet (saint louis) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Life and Times of Mexico (Hardcover)

This book is a new kind of history-- the way it is written offers us the FORM of Mexico while giving a detailed, thorough, insightful history based on Mexico's constant tension of two worlds-- the indigineous and the pennisular(Spanish); the God of Corn and the God of Bread.
This man has done his homework and loves telling us the full breath and breathless unfolding story of Mexico.
One of my 10 favorite books.