Book Review

[magnolia44]

Hi All,
I just finished reading 'True Tales from another Mexico' by Sam Quinones, and would like to highly recommend it.
If anyone has read it, especially anyone living in Mexico I would be very interested to hear your take on the 'tales' and/or the places he mentions in the book.
What a great read...Enjoy, Magnolia

[BajaGringo]

Could you give us a short and sweet book review???

Ron

[magnolia44]

Hi,
Sam Quinones is a freelance writer, in this book he takes us on a journey to many parts of Mexico, both literally and socially, from the 'queens' of Mazatlan and their yearly beauty pagent to the popsicle kings (Michoacanas) to the killings over many years of women in and around Cuidad Juarez. He devotes a chapter to each of several different topics, Chalino Sanchez, the licensiadas/priistas (sp), the 'Kansas Street Gang' of Tepito, the hangings of two innocent Mexican salesmen accused of molesting and killing young girls in a small town, etc. etc.
It is a glimpse into Mexico and the Mexican psyche that I'm sure most notreamericanos never get to see, even those living there, unless they are fluent and trusted residents of long standing. He presents the tales the way a flower opens, he is not particularly judgemental or biased, he just presents the stories and allows the reader to take from it what they will. There is sadness, inspiration, injustice, abuse and cruelty but I came away most of all with hope, for Mexico and her people. They deserve so much more than the hand they have been dealt and I think given half a chance they will soar!!
If I could sit you down and make you read it, you would thank me, it is fascinating!! I'm sure I have not done it justice...
O.K. so short, maybe not so sweet, but don't let this deter you
Best, Magnolia

[sparks]

A book of short stories. Each very different and well written. Definitely an insiders view of Mexico that most people don't see.

[BajaGringo]

I will definitely look it up....

Ron

[GTO_gringo]

Originally Posted by magnolia44

Hi,

It is a glimpse into Mexico and the Mexican psyche that I'm sure most notreamericanos never get to see, even those living there, unless they are fluent and trusted residents of long standing.

One thing you have to remember about this is that Mexicans are very much like Americans in that in the telling of stories they do not always engage in critical thinking skills. As a writer, I get this all the time. I am fluent enough to do interviews in Spanish so I talk to the locals constantly. But, I have to check and recheck what I am told. If I can get a confirmation from several sources then I go with the story.

An example is Mexican landlords. About 7 months ago I began to get the "feeling" that it is standard practice to jack the price up for rents for gringos here in GTO. I had "heard" this before but didn't have much to go on. So, when I began asking around I started hearing stories that would make the hair on your head stand on end...I asked, and asked, and then asked some more until I found a consensus that not only are rents jacked up for gringos--there is the mexican price and then there is the gringo price--but for those not fluent enough in Spanish to ask around, theses gringos get gouged routinely. They are told that the cost of gas or bottled water is higher than it actually is with the landlords pocketing the difference.

But, I asked around for months before actually writing about this. Even then, I am getting all manner of hatemail from Mexicans and Amercian expats taking umbrage at the very idea that I would say that Mexican landlords would do such a thing...

My point is that you have to verify and verify again and then, even after all that work, you get the dissenters who chew out your behind!

Doug

[tummy]

no, not yet.i will do it.