Still useful despite being written 2 decades ago

books:


	• Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans Alan Riding Vintage, 1989 - 432 pages average customer review:based on 20 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Still useful despite being written 2 decades ago

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 The history section is naturally outdated, but some people could still benefit from this book: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-Students majoring in Mexican or Latin studies: Even when it outdated you'll hardly find a book that keep again from Liberal or Conservatives agendas.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.

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decoding the culture

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.

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Distant Neighbors: A Real Eye-opener

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.

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DISTANT NEIGHBORS

excellent book for anybody who wants to know a little better the mexican culture and their problematic ways of life. This is a book with a prespective from somebody who is not mexican, awesome analysis.

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4

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.

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