Mexico: Biography of Power

Well written and with good background material to put political history in cultural context. I might have spent a little more time on the Madero presidency, but other than that, excellent.

I loved it

I prefer this excellent history of Mexico to other published histories for many reasons, not the least of which is that it was written by a leading Mexican intellectual, in Spanish. Here we have an insider's perspective, a history written by someone who not only knows it first hand, but actually FEELS it. You won't find that insightful, intuitive quality in the books written by Fehrenbach or Miller.In English translation, the quality of the language is superb. From the preface, through the first few chapters, you become aware of the author's prodigious analytical and rhetorical skills. He also commits to maintaining a relatively swift narrative, and the text never disintegrates into dry academia.The main body of the text concentrates on the lives of Mexico's many leaders from 1810 to 1994, but it would be wrong to suggest that this is the TOPIC of the book. Really, the book attempts to define what it means to be Mexican through the ambitions, successful or otherwise, of the people strong or lucky enough to lead the country. It covers all of Mexican history, roughly from conquest to modern times, but with relatively less emphasis on the Spanish colonial period. And though it isn't a feature topic in the content of the book, the author skillfully introduces us to the foundation of independent Mexico through the cultural, religious and economic history of New Spain.Here's an insightful history of Mexico that reads beautifully and entertains as well as instructs. While not exactly beach reading, I would highly recommend this book for people with more than a casual (tourist) interest in Mexican history.

I found this book to be more appropriate for someone closely familiar with the history and interested in flourishes and divergences and miscellanea rather than a clear and coherent history

I'm a math teacher in a school that is 45% Hispanic. My kids good naturedly taunt me with "you took our land". We "pushed on" that one day and it turns out none of us knew much about Mexico. I stopped at a book store on the way home and found this to be the only offering on Mexico's history. I lucked out. It turns out I now know more about Mexico's history that my students. I'm near pg 180 but left the book in my classroom and we're on winter break. Several of my students have asked to read the book when I'm done. So, I'm here killing two birds with one stone: I'll get a copy to read over break (I marked my copy up) and I'll have one to loan out after break.It's a fascinating book, very well written, covering the history of Mexico from Cortez until 1996 and making frequent references to pre-Columbian Mexico along the way. Having read as far as I have I'm thinking I'll need book(s) on Central and S.America when I'm done with this. It's terrific. I highly recommend this book.

I am a mestizo but was born in America and attended American schools. Consequently I was never educated on the history of my people. However, this book has allowed me to learn about the history of my people for which I am very grateful. This is an excellent book on Mexican history by a Mexican historian.

A superb book that covers the emergence of Modern Mexico. The turbulent period of the 1890's through the 1920's is especially well described. The cast of characters during that period that were on the political stage is a fascinating one, especially when one looks at their socioeconomic policies. The figure of Cardenas and his impact on the trajectory of the nation for the first half of the century is remarkable. Imagine the public health programs, the educational and agrarian reforms, the evolution of commerce, the open doors to refugees from the wars in Europe, and the cultural ferment of that period. This book is a must for anyone interested in understanding Mexico.

Enrique Krauze is a splendid writer, with a gift for balance and precision. His review of the long road that Mexico's democracy, or lack of it, has travelled from the times of the independence from Spain to more modern times is dazzling. He centers on central characters of Mexico, like the self proclaimed "Napoleon of Mexico", Antonio López de Santa Anna, to the stabilizing figure of Benito Juarez, or to the main leaders of the Revolution. But Krauze presents also a critical view of the role that the powerful party PRI has played in the development of Mexican institutions. This is a great book if you want to understand the political development of this great Latinamerican country.

This is a well written and historical factual book on a difficult and "cloudy" subject.

Well written, interesting history of a nation coming of age.