Nothing, Nobody: The Voices Of the Mexico City Earthquake (Paperback)

by Elena Poniatowska (Author)
Key Phrases: José González, ministerio público, Héctor Méndez, Nuevo León, Mexico City, Red Cross (more...)

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Product Description
September 19, 1985: A powerful earthquake hits Mexico City in the early morning hours. As the city collapses, the government fails to respond. Long a voice of social conscience, prominent Mexican journalist Elena Poniatowska chronicles the disintegration of the city's physical and social structure, the widespread grassroots organizing against government corruption and incompetence, and the resiliency of the human spirit. As a transformative moment in the life of Mexican society, the earthquake is as much a component of the country's current crisis as the 1982 debt crisis, the problematic economic of the last ten years, and the recent elections.

In masterfully weaving together a multiplicity of voices, Poniatowska has reasserted the inherent value and latent power of people working together. Punctuated by Poniatowska's own experiences and observations, these post disaster testimonies speak of the disruption of families and neighborhoods, of the destruction of homes and hospitals, of mutilation and death—the collective loss of a city. Drawing the reader dramatically into the scene of national horror through dozens of personal stories, Poniatowska demonstrates the importance of courage and self-reliance in redeeming life from chaos.

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Spanish --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 327 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (July 30, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566393450
• ISBN-13: 978-1566393454
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #439,995 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Must Read on Urban Poor, December 11, 2000

By A Customer

This book provides an excellent account of the Mexico city earthquate. Yet what is most poignant about it is that it describes the events through the eyes of the urban poor. IT is very detailed in description, and at times graphic. Some of the accounts are inspiring, while many of them reveal the true nature of the Mexican ruling class. If anyone is interested in urban poor in South America, this book is a must read. It will have you cheering the silent heroism of so many poor Mexicans, while at the same time arousing a feirce anger towards the government that let so many of them down.

The book also conveys to the reader a sense of the magnitude of Mexican city and how devasting the earthquake was. It reveals how the poor are so dramatically affected by such an event, yet how they are so often forgotten. Literally, to the point of death. This is an excellent book.