William H. Beezley

Colin MacLachlan and William Beezley's book offers a short overview of Mexico in the 19th and early 20th century. It's one that is stronger on the second half of the period than it is in the first, which is understandable given the previous books both men have written about the Porfirian regime. Mexican politics dominate the book, which is perhaps excusable given their argument for the period being the "crucial century" for Mexico's development but limits its value somewhat. Still, this is a useful book for anyone seeking an introduction to Mexican history in the 19th century, one that incorporates much of the recent scholarship on Mexican history to provide an informative look at how Mexico navigated its first tumultuous century of existence.… (more)

This is labeled as an introduction to Latin American popular culture, but this is very much not. No one reading this collection could come away with a conception of a single country's culture, let alone an understanding of the ~nine countries mentioned herein. (To read this, one should already have a good understanding of the histories and basic cultures.) Instead, it is 13 academic essays on subjects ranging from medical photographs in Brazil to state funerals in Mexico. The essays themselves are, by and large, both dry and poorly written--I was not impressed by the styles, which were uncomfortably similar to that of first-year grad students'.

However, the material itself is fascinating, which makes up for a lot. The idea that most of the essays touched on was how constructed culture is. What we see as a national identity is often the result of years of revisionist history, bias, and conscious choices.… (more)