Customer Reviews

In the Yucatan: A Novel

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is an brave and powerful book. It takes on profound issues facing all of us -- in the US as well as Mexico: economic domination, political corruption, and the meaning of courage in a world without empathy. There is no cynicism at the heart of this book; despite its sometimes gritty language and always too-accurate portrayals of the ways of power, at its heart this author must believe that there is a role for the lonely soldier of truth. Although this sometimes a hard book, I found lessons about life on every page. It should be read by anyone who cares about justice.

This is a brave and beautiful book. Hard and sometimes harsh, it uses the language and imagery of an ancient people to tell a modern and eternal story of courage in the face of corruption. Shorris makes excruciating the details of two men's battle against impossible odds, and by doing so, ennobles them. No one who cares about politics or social justice in Mexico -- or the USA -- should miss this powerful book.

This is a very moving story with characters that become real within the first few pages. It opens our eyes to the Maya ways of thought and to the modern struggles of all working people in a sometimes cruel and corrupt world. The ending took me by surprise but I didn't want to close the book or let go of the characters. I wanted to just begin reading this truely powerful story again. I highly recommend it!