Octavio Paz has long been acknowledged as Mexico's foremost writer and critic. In this international classic, Paz has written one of the most enduring and powerful works ever created on Mexico and its people, character, and culture. Compared to Ortega y Gasset's The Revolt of the Masses for its trenchant analysis, this collection contains his most famous work, "The Labyrinth of Solitude," a beautifully written and deeply felt discourse on Mexico's quest for identity that gives us an unequalled look at the country hidden behind "the mask." Also included are "The Other Mexico," "Return to the Labyrinth of Solitude," "Mexico and the United States," and "The Philanthropic Ogre," all of which develop the themes of the title essay and extend his penetrating commentary to the United States and Latin America.
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First published in 1950, The Labyrinth of Solitude addresses issues that are both seemingly eternal and resoundingly contemporary: the nature of political power in post-conquest Mexico, the relation of Native Americans to Europeans, the ubiquity of official corruption. Noting these matters earned Paz no small amount of trouble from the Mexican leadership, but it also brought him renown as a social critic. Paz, who went on to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, later voiced his disillusionment with all political systems--as the Mexican proverb has it, "all revolutions degenerate into governments"--but his call for democracy in this book has lately been reverberating throughout Mexico, making it timely once again.
From Library Journal
Originally issued in 1962, The Labyrinth of Solitude (Grove Weidenfeld. (ISBN 0-8021-5042-X. pap. $10.95; reprint) "contains nine beautifully written, deeply felt essays . . . whose concern is the Mexican's solitariness and quest for identity" ( LJ 4/15/62). The expanded volume contains additional essays written in the spirit of Labyrinth and other important works.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
62 of 64 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
No other book has been able to accurately describe the Mexican psyche as Paz has done in this book. His eloquent prose style captivates the Mexican spirit in all its grace and in all its sadness. He brings all of Mexico's conflicts and taboos together and strips off all its masks to reveal the Mexican. I found his style to be poetic, eloquent, and majestic. Never had I read a book as powerfull and truthfull as Paz's. It is no wonder Paz was honored to receive the Nobel prize for this work. Any individual willing to read this book will finish it understanding Mexican culture and history better.
37 of 39 people found the following review helpful
By Scott Henson
Format:Paperback
Paz's 'Labyrinth of Solitude' describes a Mexico of days gone by. 21st-century Mexico is dramatically more urban and modern, on the whole, than when Paz wrote this 50+ years ago.
Published in 1950, this was a book of its time. The Grove Press English translation is first rate; it reads beautifully.
Paz despised communism but was unimpressed with American materialism and narcissism, which in any event he thought inapplicable en masse to the Mexican character (as he piercingly described it) that drew so heavily on indigenous roots. He thought Mexico could find a third way, and he chose to start his search for it by heeding the millenia-old Socratic charge: know thyself. The result was a book one critic called an insult to every Mexican mother, though in truth it's nothing of the sort. His polemic made him no friends in the short term, however, even as it became an instant classic and catapulted him among the pinnacle stars of 20th century Latin American cultural critics.
Great to read while traveling, but good to keep in mind it's dated 5 decades. He's not describing the Mexican world a decade after NAFTA! His collected poems are worth the cost of admission, too.
Published in 1950, this was a book of its time. The Grove Press English translation is first rate; it reads beautifully.
Paz despised communism but was unimpressed with American materialism and narcissism, which in any event he thought inapplicable en masse to the Mexican character (as he piercingly described it) that drew so heavily on indigenous roots. He thought Mexico could find a third way, and he chose to start his search for it by heeding the millenia-old Socratic charge: know thyself. The result was a book one critic called an insult to every Mexican mother, though in truth it's nothing of the sort. His polemic made him no friends in the short term, however, even as it became an instant classic and catapulted him among the pinnacle stars of 20th century Latin American cultural critics.
Great to read while traveling, but good to keep in mind it's dated 5 decades. He's not describing the Mexican world a decade after NAFTA! His collected poems are worth the cost of admission, too.
55 of 63 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read this book in the early 70's and enjoyed it immensely. Being od Mexican descent it gave me insight into who I am and why. I have read this book again recently, upon Paz's death, and found it still as enlightening. The style of writng is beautiful, poetic , and full of symbolism and metaphors. While working in education I highly recommended it to my collegues to better understand the Mexican psyche. Anyone who works in the public sector or deals with Mexicans on either side of the border should read this book. It will help you understand the mind of the Mexican and how it works. One of my all time favorite books that should be enjoyed by all people interested in human behavior.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Glad I got this book
I wanted to learn about the mexican worldview and so far this book has been really fascinating and informative. YAY
Published 1 month ago by Sarah Lam
5.0 out of 5 stars
New World History
Mexico's rich history is covered in this very interesting book. I am thinking of retiring there, so I wanted to get to know the place and people beforehand. Read more
Published 2 months ago by R. Seidman
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Masterpiece
Although outdated in many ways, for those who lived during the 60s and beyond, it gives an excellent analysis of how a Mexican perceives the world and will substantially add to how... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Teresa Conant
3.0 out of 5 stars
Book Review
I am senior in high school and we chose to read "The Labyrinth of Solitude" by Octavio Paz in a literature circle. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Erin
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Labyrinth of Solitude
The Labyrinth of Solitude is a series of essays written by Octavio Paz philosophically discussing death, birth, and love. Read more
Published 3 months ago by J. C. Lopez
3.0 out of 5 stars
Michelle Ramirez
In the book The Labyrinth of Solitude Paz discusses all aspects of being a Mexican: their culture, their history, and their identity. Read more
Published 3 months ago by J. Timothy Michael
4.0 out of 5 stars
"The Labyrinth of Solitude," A most fitting title for this book.
All people, even the Mexicans, wear a mask to hide their true identities from not only the world, but from themselves as well. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Lexii Luthor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cultural background
I bought this book for a friend who had forgotten his roots. The original is written in Spanish, and I have read it several times. Great reading.
Published 4 months ago by patrios
3.0 out of 5 stars
Worth reading but dated and at times dense
I think previous reviewers Scott Henson (5 stars) and Jessica L. Krudwig (3 stars) pretty much nailed it with their reviews (though for the star count, I'm going with Jessica,... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Deron Dilger
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Classic whose practical relevance varies
The following review pertains only to the original 1950 essay: The Labyrinth of Solitude.
The reviewers Bo K and Lynn Hoffman are fully correct in qualifying the present... Read more
The reviewers Bo K and Lynn Hoffman are fully correct in qualifying the present... Read more
Published on July 26, 2010 by Larry J. Hernandez
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