Overview

This accessible, sweeping survey of Mexican history, from pre-Columbian times to the present, introduces critical political and economic processes that have defined the country. With ample maps and illustrations, along with historiographical inserts, this book is a guide from the earliest beginnings of a great nation down to the present day. This 2nd edition includes the following changes: - 2 additional chapters, covering contemporary Mexico in the 21st century - Fresh and substantial content about the cartels, criminal organizations, and the drug war - The latest updates on pre-Columbian archaeological discoveries - 20 new illustrations - 10 inserts addressing historiography and referencing over 100 scholarly books - An expanded and updated Suggestions for Further Reading section To understand this complex and diverse land is to study the splendor of its pre-Columbian cultures, learn the legacies of a violent conquest, and appreciate the fluorescence of 3 centuries of viceregal Spanish rule. The struggle for independence, war with the United States, French Intervention, Benito Juárez, dictatorship under Porfirio Díaz, revolutionary upheaval under “Pancho” Villa – all are laid out in crystal clear narrative. Nor does this book shirk from addressing the darker side of history. Examining the corruption of 20th-century presidents, security apparatuses, and the PRI party, it explores the roots of present-day cartels and rising patterns of social violence.

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9798881804619

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Reviews

""A sweeping narrative that helps readers understand much of Mexico's current situation while recognizing its cultural particularities."" --H-Net

A sweeping narrative that helps readers understand much of Mexico's current situation while recognizing its cultural particularities. * H-Net * A refreshing take on Mexico’s remarkable history, this is a concise and engaging textbook designed for undergraduates and general readers needing a framework of political processes without the weight of a traditional text. Sherman’s lively narrative reflects a clear-eyed understanding of how the nation’s history has shaped its people’s lives today. Most appealing is his inclusion of non-standard episodes of Mexico’s past that draw in the reader and help convey his approach to the past like no other text I have seen. -- Steven B. Bunker * Executive Director, Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies; The University of Alabama, USA * Sherman has composed an exceptional text that explores primarily the economic and political history of Mexico in an accessible way. For teachers who focus on the social and cultural aspects of Mexico, Sherman’s work helps fill the gaps in our lectures and teaching emphases. I have struggled in the past explaining the finer concepts of Mexican economic history in the classroom, and this book will be of great benefit to my students and to me as a scholar. Plus, the images throughout the book capture the beauty and essence of Mexico in a novel way. -- Michele McArdle Stephens * West Virginia University, USA * Sherman’s fast-paced romp through more than five hundred years of Mexican history is full of insightful, sometimes unexpected twists and turns. Written in a lively prose, this richly illustrated volume will appeal to students, travelers, and specialists looking for a concise approach to a captivating country. -- Stephen E. Lewis * California State University, Chico, USA * Now in its second edition, this clear, concise, and engaging survey of Mexican history remains perfect for the university classroom. Sherman sourced classic studies from history, political science, archaeology, anthropology, literature, and other fields, as well as recent interdisciplinary monographs, but the sophisticated analysis and accessible narrative style are very much his own. Instructors, students, and general readers alike will find a unique and authoritative voice to guide them through the complex mix of achievements and adversity in Mexican history. -- Matthew D. Esposito * Drake University, USA *

Author Information

John W. Sherman is a Professor of History at Wright State University. He is the author of five books, including The Mexican Right and Latin America in Crisis.

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