History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Talons of the Eagle: Dynamics of U.S.-Latin American Relations, 2nd Edition

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Very solid analysis
First rate interdisciplinary approach to history.

Talons of the Eagle: Dynamics of U.S.-Latin American Relations, 2nd Edition
Peter H. Smith
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195129989

Book Description

Talons of the Eagle offers a vivid portrayal of the last two hundred years of U.S.-Latin American relations, casting new light on issues such as economic integration, environmental protection, drug trafficking, and undocumented migration. Rather than concentrating only on US policy, as many texts do, it addresses the structural relationships of both regions. Focusing on international systems, the distribution of power, and the perception and pursuit of national interests, Smith uncovers recurrent regularities in the interaction between the U.S. and Latin America and offers a compelling analysis of the continuity and change in their relations, as well as provocative insights into the possible future of these relations. With an entirely new introduction and thorough revisions of the last four chapters and conclusion, as well as completely updated bibliography, this continues to be the ideal text for students in general courses on Latin American history and politics as well as courses on U.S. and inter-American foreign relations.

Customer Reviews:

Very solid analysis.......2007-09-19

Very good analysis. Well written. An excellent read whether you are a beginner or somewhat versed in LatAm and US relations. It serves as a great review of history as well.

First rate interdisciplinary approach to history........1998-09-15

In this very readable historiacl survey of U.S.-Latin American realations, Smith develops a template which demonstrates the logic of U.S. policy and Latin American response within the context of the global situation. To accomplish this, he breaks history into three general time periods: 1790s-Cold War, The Cold War, and the post-Cold War. In each of these periods, Smith develops the global context or "rules of the game", then moves on to the resulting U.S. policy. He finishes each historical era with an incisive analysis of Latin American options for response. This book is a must for students of Latin America and certainly for those individuals whose activities, whether they be commercial or official in nature, are shaping the book's next chapter.

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Latin American History Text
A great start to Latin American History
Learn Latin America
Great introductory look at Latin America
A Great Overview, but with Limitations

Modern Latin America
Thomas E. Skidmore , and Peter H. Smith
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195129962

Book Description

This popular book, now in its fifth edition, is a lively interpretive history that continues to be one of Oxford's most successful textbooks. Modern Latin America, 5/e has been thoroughly revised and expanded throughout. The authors have added sociocultural sections and boxes to nearly every chapter. The boxes cover such diverse areas as soccer in Brazil, Santeria in Cuba, and the recent popularity of Latin music in the United States, all of which give this edition a distinctly new and exciting flavor. All political and economic information has been brought up-to-date and, as in earlier editions, the authors use an in-depth case study approach that guides readers through the major countries of Latin America, highlighting central themes including European-New World interaction, racial mixtures, military takeovers, and U.S. intervention in the area. With an insightful look into the future, Modern Latin America, 5/e will continue to be an exceptional text for undergraduate courses on contemporary Latin American history, society, and politics.

Customer Reviews:

Latin American History Text.......2007-09-30

I'm studying Latin American history at the University of Buenos Aires this semester and found the Skidmore text to be an excellent supplement to my assigned Spanish readings. It does a very good job tying together a lot of the overlying themes throughout the continent during this time period, helping me to better understand the more analytical texts in my course.

A great start to Latin American History.......2006-12-18

This is an excellent textbook for anyone who wants a summary of Latin America. It covers all of the regions in very clear detail and excellent prose. You hardly feel like you are reading a text book at all. For those who have no background in Latin American history this is a great place to start. For those who have read widely they will find this an invaluable summary and an essential addition to any Latin American History library.

Learn Latin America.......2006-02-24

Very good book. It gives us a real idea of what was and is Latin America (since the enviroment is very much dinamic the last/last issues are not incorpoated in the book). Worth!

Great introductory look at Latin America.......2006-01-24

How many North Americans really know what Latin America is like? How many can name more than six countries in the region? The history and politics of the region are rich and complex. Skidmore and Smith make this rich region understandable for a layperson who is not a specialist in the Latin American region.

The first two chapters of the book are a general historical overview, beginning with pre-Columbian times right up until the present. After that, it looks at a variety of case studies within the region, including Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Cuba, the Caribbean, and Central America.

The authors are successful at presenting not only the common threads that bind the region (for example dependencia theory) but also the distinctions between the countries (for example the lack of a local working class in Argentina compared to the oversupply of indigenous labor in Mexico) and explains how that affects each individual country in the region.

For most of the second half of the 19th century as well as the 20th century, the United States is the primary foreign actor in the region. How they resolve their relations with the U.S. and with one another is a driving force in the political development of the region. From the 1950s (and especially from the 1960s), the Soviets enter the fray. While the Soviets are now gone, as can be seen from the news today, the legacy of leftism (which predated the Soviet influence in the region) is still an active part of Latin American politics.

While many in North America may think that the leftist movements in Latin America (i.e. Venezuela and Bolivia) are a knee-jerk anti-American reaction, the roots are far deeper than that. One can't help but come out of reading this book with an appreciation of the spirit of the Latin American and a deeper understanding of not only their challenges, but also their frustrations.

This is a fantastic read for someone wishing to get their feet wet into the scholarship of this region.

A Great Overview, but with Limitations.......2005-11-16

Modern Latin America, Sixth Edition was the primary text used in my 3000-level Latin American history course. Its chapters include:

The Colonial Foundations (1492-1880s)
The Transformation of Modern Latin America (1880s-2000s)
Argentina
Chile
Brazil
Peru
Colombia
Mexico
Cuba
The Caribbean (Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico)
Central America: Colonialism, Dictatorship, and Revolution
Latin America, United States, and the World
What Future for Latin America?

There's also a nice appendix of leaders and recommended additional reading.

Overall, all prospective readers must know that Skidmore is a subscriber to dependency theory. In essence, dependency theory classifies countries as either in the economic "core" or "periphery" in the world. Countries like Japan, China, U.S.A., and Germany would be considered in the core. Everyone else, especially most of Latin America, would be in the periphery. Thus, according to dependency theory, one of the primary sources of Latin America's economic woe is its inability to control its own economic destiny due to being in the periphery. Many problems have surfaced in regard to this stance, but you should know that this ideology is what Skidmore bases himself in.

As such, I find much of the analysis to be painfully lacking. This is an overview book with heavy reliance on facts alone and chronological progression. Causal analysis and historiographical considerations are quite sparse.

Additionally, Skidmore does not use footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical referencing to back-up any of his writing with evidence. Once again, this is consistent with an "overview" book lacking in real argumentation.

Nevertheless, those limitations aside, this is a very good general introduction to Latin American history which focuses on political and economic progression in many Latin American nations. There is brief mention of culture in most chapters, but an accompanying book such as Peter Winn's "Americas" is most likely necessary to satisfy a more socially-based historical education. I recommend this book not as a finish line for Latin American study, but as a window to the Latin American world.

Crude Chronicles: Indigenous Politics, Multinational Oil, and Neoliberalism in Ecuador (American Encounters/Global Interactions)

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Globalization on the ground in Amazonia

Crude Chronicles: Indigenous Politics, Multinational Oil, and Neoliberalism in Ecuador (American Encounters/Global Interactions)
Suzana Sawyer , and Suzana Sawyer
Manufacturer: Duke University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0822332728

Book Description

Ecuador is the third-largest foreign supplier of crude oil to the western United States. As the source of this oil, the Ecuadorian Amazon has borne the far-reaching social and environmental consequences of a growing U.S. demand for petroleum and the dynamics of economic globalization it necessitates. Crude Chronicles traces the emergence during the 1990s of a highly organized indigenous movement and its struggles against a U.S. oil company and Ecuadorian neoliberal policies. Against the backdrop of mounting government attempts to privatize and liberalize the national economy, Suzana Sawyer shows how neoliberal reforms in Ecuador led to a crisis of governance, accountability, and representation that spurred one of twentieth-century Latin America’s strongest indigenous movements.

Through her rich ethnography of indigenous marches, demonstrations, occupations, and negotiations, Sawyer tracks the growing sophistication of indigenous politics as Indians subverted, re-deployed, and, at times, capitulated to the dictates and desires of a transnational neoliberal logic. At the same time, she follows the multiple maneuvers and discourses that the multinational corporation and the Ecuadorian state used to circumscribe and contain indigenous opposition. Ultimately, Sawyer reveals that indigenous struggles over land and oil operations in Ecuador were as much about reconfiguring national and transnational inequalityâthat is, rupturing the silence around racial injustice, exacting spaces of accountability, and rewriting narratives of national belongingâas they were about the material use and extraction of rain-forest resources.

Customer Reviews:

Globalization on the ground in Amazonia.......2007-05-31

This is one of the best books on indigenous politics that has been written. The author's 20 years of experience in the Ecuadoran Amazonia show in the depth of her narrative and in her careful and accessible use of Foucault to draw out the complexities of indigenous identity, conceptions of nation and nationalism, and the impact of global forces. It is also beautifully written. Clearly, a labor of love and conviction by a scholar who has spent hours listening to indigenous activists , oil company officials, state officials, NGO workers, academics, and, most importantly native Ecuadorans of widely diverse political views and fashioned a wonderful book. If you are interested in all the complex political issues surrounding globalization as seen from the Amazon, you don't need a Ph.D to find this a great read

Between Revolution and the Ballot Box: The Origins of the Argentine Radical Party in the 1890s (Cambridge Latin American Studies)

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Between Revolution and the Ballot Box: The Origins of the Argentine Radical Party in the 1890s (Cambridge Latin American Studies)
Paula Alonso
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Founded in 1891, the Unión Cívica Radical, generally known as the Radical Party, is the oldest national political party in Argentina. As the strongest opposition party during the 1890s, a pivotal decade in the birth of Argentina's party system, the Radical Party effected a critical development in Argentine politics: it created a system of open confrontation and political competition. This study offers not merely a revised version of the party's story but also a new perspective on the politics of the nation as a whole.

No One Is Illegal: Fighting Violence and State Repression on the U.S.-Mexico Border

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Fair trade, working class solidarity, compassion, etc.
another book for school
Utter Trash Whose Only Redeeming Quality Is It's Potential Use As Toilet Paper, Or To Start A Nice Fire
Great Book
A scholarly, heavily researched yet harsh wake-up call to American immigration policy injustice.

No One Is Illegal: Fighting Violence and State Repression on the U.S.-Mexico Border
Justin Akers Chacon , and Mike Davis
Manufacturer: Haymarket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1931859353

Book Description

"A rare combination of an author, [Mike Davis is] Rachel Carson and Upton Sinclair all in one."-Susan Faludi

"[Davis' writing is] perceptive and rigorous."-David Montgomery, The Nation

"[Davis' work is] brilliant, provocative, and exhaustively researched."-The Village Voice

"[Davis' work is] eloquent and passionate."-Tariq Ali

No One Is Illegal debunks the leading ideas behind the often violent right-wing backlash against immigrants.

Countering the chorus of anti-immigrant voices, Mike Davis and Justin Akers Chacon expose the racism of anti-immigration vigilantes and put a human face on the immigrants who risk their lives to cross the border to work in the United States.

Davis and Akers Chacon challenge the racist politics of vigilante groups like the Minutemen, and argue for a pro-immigrant and pro-worker agenda that recognizes the urgent need for international solidarity and cross-border alliances in building a renewed labor movement.

Writer, historian, and activist Mike Davis is the author of many books, including City of Quartz, The Ecology of Fear, The Monster at Our Door, and Planet of Slums. Davis teaches in the Department of History at the University of California at Irvine, and lives in San Diego. Davis is the recipient of the 2001 Carey McWilliams Award and the World History Association Book Award.

Justin Akers Chacon is professor of U.S. History and Chicano Studies in San Diego, California. He has contributed to the International Socialist Review and the book Immigration: Opposing Viewpoints (Greenhaven Press).

Customer Reviews:

Fair trade, working class solidarity, compassion, etc........2007-06-14

This book dismantles the narratives we hear from the establishment media regarding undocumented workers. It covers the history of oppression migrant workers have faced, including beatings from the KKK and the Order of Caucasians, among other vigilantes organized by agribusiness interests.
It also covers the devastating impacts of NAFTA on Mexico's economy. Page 121 points out, "Over 1.3 million small farmers in Mexico were pushed into bankruptcy by cheap American grain imports between 1994 and 2004. Luis Tellez, former undersecretary for planning in Mexico's Ministry of Agriculture and Hydraulic Resources, estimates that as many as 15 million peasants will leave agriculture in the next few decades, many seeing migration north as the only option. . . Meanwhile, the deindustrialization of Mexico continues unabated. Mexico lost an unprecedented 515,000 jobs in the first three months of 2005 alone."
What industry there is, is now found in the sites of hyper-exploitation known as maquiladoras.

One negative review calls the book "Marxist." Well, the book is mostly just an honest analysis of the situation. Something that demagogues like Tom Tancredo avoid. Tancredo likes to whip up hysteria. His congressional district (one of the wealthiest in the country) has a large Lockheed Martin plant. Lockheed will be making a fortune on the further militarization of the border.
Anyway, the book does include one quotation from Karl Marx, and I think it's worth repeating. Justin Akers Chacon writes: "Marx illustrated the self-sabotaging nature of the conflict between 'native-born' workers and immigrant workers in his analysis of the relationship between the English and Irish working classes when he wrote, 'The ordinary English worker hates the Irish worker as a competitor who lowers his standard of life. In relation to the Irish worker, he feels himself a member of the ruling nation and so turns himself into a tool of the aristocrats and capitalists of his country against Ireland, thus stengthening their domination over himself. He cherishes religious, social and national prejudices against the Irish worker. This antagonism is the secret of the impotence of the English working class, despite its organization. It is the secret by which the capitalist class maintains its power. And that class is fully aware of it.'
Inter-ethnic and international class solidarity, or lack thereof, has been a determinant of the progression, inertia, or regression of the American labor movement. When nationalist or chauvinist sentiments are strong, the working class is weak, demonstrating the deep penetration of ruling-class ideology into working-class consciousness."

This book also covers the conquest of Mexico, and the opportunities for organizing immigrants.
It's a sensational book that I have been quoting over various message boards. I'll be buying several copies of it.

[...]

another book for school.......2007-05-16

I bought this book for a class at college. I am really tired of this propoganda. I do not agree with the viewpoints.

Utter Trash Whose Only Redeeming Quality Is It's Potential Use As Toilet Paper, Or To Start A Nice Fire.......2007-04-15

I had a peek at this book at a snobby little bookstore in Seattle called "The Left Bank" - I spent a half hour reading several chapters, and the experience was not unlike listening to that pseudo-intellectual idiot you knew back in college. The one that thought the world would be great if we'd all embrace utopian Marxism. Imagine that person wrote a book so completely one sided that it utterly dismisses any dissenting opinion as Fascism or Right Wing Extremism. That's what you'd have here, a book that already has it's mind made up, which is great if you're an ILLEGAL alien or one of the dozens who might share the author's point of view. Anyone interested in an intelligent two-sided analysis of the immigration debate would do well to steer clear of this leftist propaganda.

Great Book.......2007-01-19

Read this book for a class, truly enjoyed the book and the class

A scholarly, heavily researched yet harsh wake-up call to American immigration policy injustice........2006-11-05

Written by Justin Akers Chacon (professor of US History and Chicano Studies in San Diego) and Mike Davis (teaches in the Department of History at the University of California at Irvine), No One Is Illegal: Fighting Racism and State Violence on the US-Mexico Border is a sharp rebuke against anti-immigration vigilantism, denouncing the often violent right-wing backlash against immigrants and striving to put a human face upon the men and women who cross America's borders. Chapters survey white, anti-immigrant violence in California history from the inception of the Ku Klux Klan, the "Yellow Peril", and anti-Filipino riots to modern times, with an especially critical eye turned toward the Minutemen. Also scrutinized is the history of how dominant corporate interests and the wealthiest members of America have used immigration policy to control labor - such as the bracero program, an individualized contract that subjects a guest worker to deportation at the employer's relative discretion; such "guest worker" programs actually give agribusiness employers more control over their workers than they would have over undocumented workers, who can migrate to construction other fields and thus place some pressure upon agribusiness to raise its poverty-level wages. A scholarly, heavily researched yet harsh wake-up call to American immigration policy injustice.

Insurgent Collective Action and Civil War in El Salvador (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics)

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Insurgent Collective Action and Civil War in El Salvador (Cambridge Studies in Comparative Politics)
Elisabeth Jean Wood
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521010500

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Elisabeth Wood's account of insurgent collective action in El Salvador is based on oral histories gathered from peasants who supported the insurgency and those who did not, as well as on interviews with military commanders from both sides. She explains how widespread support among rural people for the leftist insurgency during the civil war in El Salvador challenges conventional interpretations of collective action. Those who supplied tortillas, information, and other aid to guerillas took mortal risks and yet stood to gain no more than those who did not.

Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans

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Distant Neighbors: A Real Eye-opener
decoding the culture
Distant Narrator
Still useful despite being written 2 decades ago
The Best Book in English about Mexico and Mexicans.

Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans
Alan Riding
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0679724419
Release Date: 1989-10-23

Book Description

A study of Mexico - political, social, cultural, economic - by a journalist who was for the past 6 years the NYT bureau chief in Mexico City. With portraits of Mexico's top leaders, about a nation whose stability is vital to our national well-being.

Customer Reviews:

Distant Neighbors: A Real Eye-opener.......2007-04-24

As a Mexican American I have read several books about Mexico's history. This one was probably the greatest eye-opener. It goes where other authors refuse to tread. Discussing government corruption and much more. The author does not hold any punches back. He discloses facts such as that the Mexican government doesn't treat Mexicans much better than the U.S. treats them. The book may leave you with a sense of hopelessness. But it will definitely enlighten you. The only bad thing about this book is that the discussion on history is in desperate need of an overhaul, and that's why I cannot give this book 4 or 5 stars.

decoding the culture.......2007-01-20

I read this book years ago and still use it as a reference. I have traveled and studied in Mexico for many years and speak Spanish. So few Americans really understand Mexico, especially the roots of corruption, things like Mordidas, the military, police etc. This book enlightens and explains. A number of Mexican friends (certainly not those in the Government)agree. The sad fact is there are many things about Mexico that the Mexican government would rather not discuss or have us know. One of the reasons so few books deal honestly with the problems of Mexico. This book or (any book) that deals honestly with the problems of Mexico must necessarily risk engendering some feelings of hopelessness among some readers but such is, often, the nature of truth.

Distant Narrator.......2006-09-07

Alan Riding's book-length description of the people and culture of Mexico is as broad as the Rio Grande, as sprawling as the Sierra Madre, and as dry as Lake Texcoco. Dated, too, published in 1985, well before NAFTA and the collapse of Mexico's long-ruling PRI party, but what really hurts the readability of this book is Riding's total disengagement from the subject.

"At risk of caricature, a typical Mexican family can still be stereotyped," Riding writes. "The father is the undisputed figure of authority who has little respect for - or communication with - his wife. He expects to be served royally at home, but he spends much of his time and money drinking with friends or visiting his mistress. He pays minimal attention to his children, although he carries great importance to having a male firstborn who carries his name. The mother, rejected as a wife and a lover by her husband, tries to alleviate..."

Riding goes on like this for a while, but I won't. What really annoyed me about "Distant Neighbors" aren't his generalizations (they may be perfectly valid) but the tone of jaded detachment behind it. He might as well be tracking hippos in Zambia for all the passion he derives from his subjects.

Another thing I had trouble with: What exactly is "Distant Neighbors" about? The title seems to suggest the relationship between Mexico and the United States, and he starts in that vein noting how odd it is two such different countries share so long a border. But the theme isn't carried through the rest of the book, which deals just with Mexico. The idea then seems to be the "distant neighbors" of class, beliefs, and ethnicity that divide this closely-packed country. If so, it is not drawn out.

Riding covers a lot of ground, though more with dates and statistics then by capturing the voices of real Mexicans. When he finally returns to the subject of Mexican-U.S. relations in the last fourth of the book, it's a well-observed narrative with striking observations, like how deep the wounds of the Mexican War still penetrate the Mexican psyche and how badly Mexican President Lopez Portillo got on with U.S. President Carter. Oddly, Lopez Portillo was friendlier with Carter's successor, Ronald Reagan, despite the wider gulf in their ideologies; Riding notes deftly how this bespeaks a certain divide between rhetoric and reality where Mexican politics are concerned.

But for the most part, "Distant Neighbors" is a relentless, reflexively pessimistic book. "The system has in fact never lived without corruption and it would disintegrate or change beyond recognition if it tried to do so," he writes, as if one would be as bad as the other.

Worse, it lacks a sense Riding really invested himself of where he lived and worked for years as Mexico City bureau chief for the New York Times. Timesmen like Hedrick Smith ("The Russians") and Thomas Friedman ("From Beirut To Jerusalem") managed to produce books about past beats that give the reader a real flavor, and even zest, for the places and the people they describe. Riding, by contrast, gives you the feeling he couldn't wait to leave Mexico. In his hands, neither can you.

Still useful despite being written 2 decades ago.......2006-02-07

This is a terrific book. The history section is naturally outdated, but some people could still benefit from this book:

-Businessmen: you usually deal with rich people when you come here and the upper-class in here has not evoluted very much since the mid 80's. It seems they have changed quite a bit, but not so. Most of them are still pretty much the same deeply religious Catholic people. You could meet their daughters who have gone to rich nations to get college education; many of those women even work, but eventually let their husbands make the money. You can see how this upper class has not changed in the fact that they rule the business world here and most companies are being wiped out by foreign competition. They are not innovating or changing. In other times they would blame the government for their misfortunes but the current government is made of this type of people.

-Exchange students: Again, you are likely to deal with rich people so read paragraph above.

-Students majoring in Mexican or Latin studies: Even when it outdated you'll hardly find a book that keep again from Liberal or Conservatives agendas. The book presents a very balanced view of the Mexico conquest by then Spaniards. Traditional Liberal textbooks portray the Spaniards as the bad guy. But this books shows that the Indian were always in wars, they helped the Spaniards to get rid o the Aztec oppression and the Spaniards stopped the human sacrifices. You will really need to read these sections in order to have a more balanced view of Mexico.

The author even considered the relationships of Mexico with Central America. That was good indeed; many people in here seem to think that beyond our borders only rich countries exist. This why when many journalist complain about mistreatment of Mexican in US, some others well state the Mexico doesn't treat Central American well either.

The Best Book in English about Mexico and Mexicans........2003-09-07

The Rocky Point (Puerto Penasco) Times calls this the best book in English about Mexico. The only reason I didn't rate it 5 stars was some of the history. It needs someone to do an update of Fox's Presidency and Commandante Marcos.
Growing up in New York, it was just a facsination. I now live in Tucson, Arizona. The border is an hour away. Distant Neighbors is an apt description. American and Mexicans talk past each other without really hearing each other. His best chapters? The beginning chapters about how the Mexican nation was born and the later chapters about the different regions of this diverse country. Distant Neighbors is my guide to start exploring beyond Nogales.

The Struggle For Indigenous Rights In Latin America

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The Struggle For Indigenous Rights In Latin America

Manufacturer: Sussex Academic Pr
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1845190637

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Impactante Realidad
La competitividad es la salida
Espectacular, lo mejor desde la hora final de castro.
Muy buen libro
Verdadero abridor de ojos

Cuentos Chinos
Andres Oppenheimer
Manufacturer: Sudamericana
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Economic Conditions | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0307347990
Release Date: 2005-11-29

Book Description

Con su habitual lucidez, Oppenheimer analiza la realidad actual y de los próximos años en América Latina, a la luz del ejemplo de los llamados países emergentes de los últimos años: China, Irlanda, Polonia, República Checa, entre otros. El autor busca descubrir quién presenta un panorama realista de los próximos veinte años y quién está contando “cuentos chinos”. Por un lado, los informes de la CNI (centro de estudios de la CIA a largo plazo) y de un alemán del Parlamento Europeo experto en A. Latina (Linkohr) que pintan un panorama desolador para la región; por el otro, los discursos optimistas de los gobernantes de estos países (Chávez, Fox, Kirchner) y de instituciones como la CEPAL. Para ello, recorre los países emergentes durante tres años y entrevista a los actores más relevantes del futuro latinoamericano (desde Rumsfeld y Roger Noriega hasta Evo Morales pasando por Fernando Henrique Cardoso y los presidentes de México, Argentina, Perú, Colombia, Venezuela y Chile, además de gente común, como ascensoristas chinos o taxistas polacos). Sus conclusiones son reveladoras, ya que si bien los informes antes mencionados resultan acertados como diagnósticos del presente, el autor se muestra asombrado por la rapidez con que ciertos países de características previas muy similares a las nuestras pudieron pasar de la pobreza y la desesperanza a la riqueza y el dinamismo. Es, definitivamente, un libro para desactivar prejuicios.

Customer Reviews:

Impactante Realidad.......2007-09-24

Muy pocos libros me han presentado una vision tan real de la situacion Latinoameriaca como lo logra Oppenheimer en este libro. Soy de Costa Rica y estamos a 2 semanas de el primer referendum de la historia del pais el cual definira su futuro con CAFTA-DR. Que manera de presentarme la impactante realidad en la que vivimos los Latinoamericanos. Es triste lo retrogodos y cerrados que son algunos gobernantes que aplauden cosas absurdas como que Venezuela celebre por cerrar sus McDonalds y al mismo tiempo China festeja porque va abrir cientos de estos alrededor de todo el pais. China se pone de rodillas por mas inversion extranjera y en comparacion, algunas influencias politicas las espantan por estos lados del mundo. El comercio y la apertura hacia la globalizacion no son opciones, son la unica alternativa.

La competitividad es la salida.......2007-09-11

Excelente libro! La sociedad latinoamerciana ha preferido seguir los líderes populistas que le ofrecen una vida "fácil". Bajo esta doctrina, los gobiernos ayudan a la gente mientras siga siendo pobre. No hay planes económicos concretos y cuando los llega a haber, cambian los gobiernos y a volver a empezar! Aquellos que llaman el libro neoliberal no se dan cuenta que la propuesta de Oppenheimer aplica a todos los modelos políticos, siempre y cuando la economía se enfoque en la competitividad. Ha entrevistado a muchos de los actores principales del desarrollo económico mundial. Muy buen trabajo de investigación y opinión.

Espectacular, lo mejor desde la hora final de castro........2007-06-15

El libro es espectacular, lo he leido un par de veces. Tambien he leido todos los libros de este autor y creo que es lo mejor que ha sacado desde la hora final de Castro. Explica bien como cuatro paises, china, polonia, irlanda y republica checa han salido del atraso en poco tiempo, cada uno con sus propios modelos, cada modelo con sus encantos y sufrimientos. Tambien le dedica buenos capitulos a todos los paises hoy en dia gobernados por izquierdas en America Latina. Es un libro muy bien escrito, por alquien realmente conocerdor del tema. No es dificil de leer, se lo recomiendo a todo el mundo.

Muy buen libro.......2007-06-04

si bien no lo he terminado me parece un libro que todos los latinoamericanos deberian leer. Escrito de una manera sencilla sin vueltas, directa, con humor y dejando un claro mensaje, hay que despertar!!.

Verdadero abridor de ojos.......2007-05-28

A mi parecer el autor de una forma escueta, precisa y totalmente desnuda de prejuicios muestra un análisis simple de la realidad político económica del mundo moderno con estadísticas fácilmente palpables. Creo que es un texto educativo que debería ser leído por los cuadros políticos mas jóvenes de nuestros países, les ayudaría a entender que las doctrinas, teorías, pensamientos, o cualquier otro compromiso intelectual son preconcebidos y no merecen nuestra imparcialidad.

Recomiendo este libro no solo como texto educativo, es ademas ameno y disfrutable, cargado de humor.

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