Mexico: A Novel

Michener just taught me everything I never knew about bullfighting: the history, the pageantry, the dangers/deaths through the years. Characters to love, characters to hate. And THEN how this relates to a Civil War battle- quite unexpected. Another huge book as Michener is known for, but one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

I really like James A Micheners books and this one was no exception.Because of the time span in which he wrote it ,it was a little different.To me this just gave that bit of uniqueness that added to it's charm.Michener has this lovely relaxed way of telling a story .Using the foil of the three day carnival in the fictional Mexican Toledo,was a good way to tell the Mexican story.The different strands and influences in Mexican History ,culture and character.So if you are looking for really good read and you enjoy historical fiction,this may be worth a look. Rossity

Reading Michener you are not only entertained but enlightened. Unwittingly your IQ rises 20 points. Somehow understanding humanity is something you have accomplished.

Despite my affection for Michener, I have to say I was disappointed in this book. It has the wrong title, is too long and he fictionalized in areas where I felt truth would have made it a stronger novel. As I noted in my review of his My Lost Mexico, I don't know how or why I neglected this book in the past. In My Lost Mexico Michener explains how he began the novel, abandoned it for 30 years and then returned to write what became another of his bestsellers. I don't think the end result was the book he originally intended and it probably became a bestseller on the basis of his popularity rather than the novel's merits. Don't misunderstand, the book does have merit. The characters--especially Norman Clay, Leon Ledesma, Mrs. Evans, Victoriano and Gomez, to name a few--are engaging. And the plot is interesting and entertaining. But the novel is not a "history" of Mexico as the title and his past works might suggest. It's not my novel. If it were, I'd have eliminated all the history on Clay's family, retaining just enough back-story on them to explain his split nationality. I don't understand why Michener felt it necessary to invent the Altomecs when the Aztecs would have made a truer story. Likewise, the invention of Gurza when there were so many real characters of his type to draw from. I would have centered on the festival and the bullfights, which are the real focus of the novel. Michener does an excellent job of explaining the intricacy of the corrida. Here the real themes of courage, persistence and optimism are emphasized and give the novel its soul.

Not many typo errors. A few content errors. One in particular.. Michener’s use of the term “nortoamericano”. I do not know if this term is widely used in Mexico or not but for the un-educated south of the border I submit the following.. There are three, count them, three countries in the North American Continent: Canada, The United States and Mexico!

I've read quite a few Michener books and each has been excellent. However, this was the first one I've read that was told through the eyes of a single person, and so it was unique. That said, I don't feel that this novel really told me the story of Mexico.

What can I say? I love Michener. "MEXICO" is a surprising read. I have read and re read all of his novels. I have found "Poland" which and a couple of others I didn't know were out (for ages). Mexico's history is very violent and bloody. Has many surprising twisted turns which surprised me. I thought it would be boring, but it wasn't I read on my Kindle. If you want true, sad, actual history, yes, some fictional character's to complete a story of people around true history, James Michener has it. My favorite is "The Source" I understand the stories of the Bible so much better after reading this book. "Hawaii" use to be my favorite. Read it 3 times over the years. Never get tired of it. History is violent, romantic and heartbreaking, happy & sad.. Michener tells it all.

I'm not going to go into a long review, but I found the book very interesting and engaging. I learned so much about bull fighting. As stated in the book, it is an art, not a sport. It is also an expression of a culture we squeamish Americans do not particularly appreciate. On the other hand, I do not appreciate American sports! The human sacrifices were much more repulsive, but again, an expression of a culture that believed that they were necessary to ensure the return of the sun. All in all, I really enjoy James A. Michener and will always be eager to read anything he has written.

good read

I love most James A Michener books - NOT this cruel one. The killing of bulls in Spain and Mexico for entertainment was once a widely accepted practice and as such accurately described. And THAT is the whole problem with this book: James A Michener is such a brilliant author that he very vibrant depicts all the gore and cruelty of 'the game'. Halfway I had enough of all the bloody scenery and suffering bulls and deleted the book from my Kindle.

Love this novel, atmospheric, the reader is transported to Mexico through each era.

前回の the Tales of the South Pacific の本と違い、印刷が大体まともでホッとしています。これくらいの本なら、値段といい良いほうではないか。

Book in excellent condition, I recommend this product.Teria gostado muito mais se tivesse sido uma edição em espanhol... mas a falha foi minha ....