A comprehensive, generously illustrated chronicle of Mexican
history from conqueror Corts to singer Selena.Following their lucid
introduction, editors Meyer (History/Univ. of Arizona) and Beezley
(History/Univ. of Arizona) divide their engaging text into five
major chronological sections, offering a total of 20 essays written
by an impressive cast of experts on a wide variety of subjects.
They begin with an analysis of the 16th-century Spanish customs and
cultural assumptions that Corts and his men brought with them to
the New World. A fine chapter on the native Mayan, Aztec, and other
Mesoamerican cultures follows. Next is a description of the
collision of the two worlds that reveals how Cort s was able to
succeed against sheer numbers because of his ability to divide the
Indians politically. Subsequent chapters deal with the growth of
New Spain, the uniquely Mexican character that Catholicism assumed
in the region (the combination of African and native traditions led
to interesting religious forms), and the struggle for Mexican
independence (achieved in1821). Although Meyer and Beezley maintain
a steady chronological progression, they also offer chapters on
such subjects as disease and ecology, relations with the US, and
the arts (especially interesting are the accounts of Diego Rivera
and of Mexicos other celebrated muralists). All the contributors
are particularly adept at viewing well-known events from Mexican
perspectives (the Battle of the Alamo, for example, consumes barely
a sentence in Christon Archers damning evaluation of President
Santa Anna as the principal inhabitant even today of Mexicos black
pantheon of those who failed the nation). The disastrous 184648 war
with the US receives its due, as do the exploits of Jurez,
Maximilian, Zapata, and Villa. Later essays deal with the emergence
of Mexico as a modern state and its struggles to develop an economy
sufficiently robust to provide for its impoverished segments.A rich
mosaic of culture, history, economics, and politics. (180 b&w
photos, 16 pages color, not seen) (Kirkus Reviews)
Despite growing curiosity about Mexico due to increased trade and commerce, tourism, and immigration, there is presently no up-to-date, accessible history of Mexico for general readers. Drawing on radical changes in scholarship on Mexico in the past 15 years, 'The Oxford History of Mexico' covers all aspects of the rich history of Mexico from precolonial times to the present. Covering topics including history, politics, religion, technology, modernization, ethnicity, and gender, 'The Oxford History of Mexico' provides a wealth of information for all readers interested in Mexico. The book is fully illustrated, with black and white photos throughout and a sixteen page colour insert. Backmatter includes suggestions for further reading, an index, and a glossary.
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