The Oxford History of Mexico [Hardcover]

Michael C. Meyer (Editor), William H. Beezley (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195112288 | ISBN-13: 978-0195112283 | Publication Date: September 7, 2000 | Edition: First edition.

Mexico is a country of fascinating contrasts--glorious history and tumultuous politics, extraordinary culture and desperate poverty, ancient traditions and rapid modernization. Yet despite the growing curiosity about Mexico due to increased trade and commerce, mostly resulting from NAFTA, as well as increased tourism and immigration, there is presently no up-to-date, accessible history of Mexico for general readers.
The Oxford History of Mexico, edited by Michael Meyer and William Beezley is a comprehensive, lucidly written, and fully current narrative history by twenty of the most esteemed historians of Mexico writing today. Drawing on radical changes in scholarship on Mexico over the past 15 years, The Oxford History of Mexico covers all aspects of the rich history of Mexico from precolonial times to the present. Exploring politics, religion, technology, modernization, ethnicity, colonialism, ecology, the arts, mass media, and popular culture, The Oxford History of Mexico provides a wealth of information for all readers interested in this remarkable country.
Fully illustrated, with black-and-white photos throughout and a sixteen page color insert, suggestions for future reading, an index, and a glossary, this is the fullest and most engaging history of Mexico available today.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

With a population of nearly 100 million people, Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. Although contemporary American images of the country range from illegal border crossings to peasant uprisings, this important work uncovers a vital and volatile civilization with its roots in the indigenous Mayan, Olmec, and Aztec cultures, which collided with the conquering Spaniards who brought African slaves with them in the 16th century. "The course of Mexican history, as with that of any other nation, demonstrates amply that sincerity and guile can occupy the same page," the editors write. "There is much in the Mexican experience to command admiration and ennoble the human spirit, even if on a few occasions it might also cause an eyebrow to be raised."

In The Oxford History of Mexico, 21 scholars unravel Mexico's long history of Indian extermination, slavery, colonialism, and U.S. expansion with new information outlining environmental, gender, and pop culture studies, particularly comic books and telenova soap operas. They also detail the cultural growth and development of this nation. Of course, the great historical figures are also given close attention: Montezuma, the great Aztec leader; Hernán Cortés, the conquistador who brought down the Aztec empire; Malinche, Cortés' Indian mistress and interpreter; and Pancho Villa, who led the 1910 Mexican Revolution. Artistically, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, David Siqueiros, and José Orozco are cited, as are writers such as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Octavio Paz, and Carlos Fuentes. This is a comprehensive guide to a rich and varied country. --Eugene Holley Jr.

From Library Journal

During the last 20 years, Mexican history has been reinterpreted and reevaluated. Meyer (history, emeritus, Univ. of Arizona; coauthor of The Course of Mexican History) and Beezley (history, Univ. of Arizona; coauthor of El Gran Pueblo) have compiled 20 previously unpublished essays by experts who explore Mexico from precolonial times to the present. Each expert contributes a chapter on his or her time period, and the essays reflect the latest research (as opposed to most single-author textbooks, which tend to summarize the studies of others). Several of the authors are Mexican, adding a dimension not often found in the writing of Americans on Mexico. Examining the country with new and different approaches, the contributors challenge traditional historical concepts on a variety of issues. This volume will be a valuable addition to most academic libraries as well as many public libraries with collections on Latin America and Mexico.DMark L. Grover, Brigham Young Univ. Provo, UT
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 736 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; First edition. edition (September 7, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195112288
• ISBN-13: 978-0195112283
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.7 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #343,154 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Buy this ONLY if you DON'T need it., July 12, 2004

By 

R. Forehand "ricvausa" (Richmond Virginia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Oxford History of Mexico (Hardcover)

This book was somewhat of a disappointment. I am an adult student of Spanish and have developed a keen interest in -- but am still a relative novice on -- the history of Mexico. I bought this book after having read several short accounts of Mexican history -- for example, various travel guide history sections (including the relatively thoughtful Insight/Discovery Channel Guide). Additionally, I have studied Mexican history on several academic websites. I bought this book hoping to "pull it all together" and get a solid foundation. Instead, I got book that was admittedly interesting ... BUT was a disjointed collection of articles written by different authors in different styles that (1) assumed a much greater base knowledge that I had and (2) concentrated on just a few social and political issues and eras and left huge chronological gaps. So ... I'd recommend that you buy this book ONLY if you don't need it ... that is, that you already are conversant in Mexican history. A better selection as a primer might be The Course of Mexican History by Meyer, Sherman and Deeds -- designed as a textbook, but pretty readable.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exhaustive Treatment, March 16, 2004

By 

John C. Mckee "cmckee6" (Spring TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Oxford History of Mexico (Hardcover)

The "Oxford History of Mexico" is a well researched multidisciplinary book of history. It is an edited book, meaning that many authors devote their energies to the analysis of a single aspect of the glorious and heartbreaking history of Mexico. Thus, while each topic is well covered, there is some lack of narrative flow. Editor Michael Meyer is the author of another excellent history "The Course of Mexican History" that has a great narrative pace combined with a high level of detail. However, his book has been criticized for slighting the colonial experience. So, I guess with a story as complicated, long and eventful as the history of Mexico, you must sacrifice some narrative flow to provide detail or sacrifice detail to narrative flow.

That quibble aside, this is truly an excellent book. The colonial experience is vividly detailed with sections on the resistance of the Indian to exploitation, the social stratification of the Indian class during the colonial period, and the role of women in society including marriage and childbirth. Further, Santa Anna, an enormously polarizing character comes in for justifiable criticism (Texas, his ideological flip flops and lack of constancy to any of his allies over the years) but also is praised for his bravery and consistent patriotism and opposition to all forms of foreign domination of Mexico.

Finally, the role of ideology in the revolution is explored. While there were socialist overtones to much of the rhetoric that came out of the revolution, pragmatism and Mexicanidad prevail. That is, a truly independent course, truly Mexican, emerges without the ideological straight-jackets worn by other revolutionaries.

A remarkable effort and a recommended read to anyone with a interest in Mexican culture, history and politics.

13 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A remainder of México's historical path, December 18, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Oxford History of Mexico (Hardcover)

A must-read book to understand México's post-modern conscious. Meyer and Beezley are right when they wrote that a mix of Catholic dogma, medical advances and poverty had been the pillars of México's current population (about 100 million). The analysis on the indigenous matter is brilliant. It's a reminder on how México hasn't solved the indigenous problem even after almost 200 years as an independent country. The authors dissect the socioeconomic web that gave birth to the concept of the modern Mexicano.