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The Mexico City Reader
Mexico City is one of Latin America's cultural capitals, and one of the most vibrant urban spaces in the world. The Mexico City Reader is an anthology of "Cronicas" -short, hybrid texts that are part literary essay, part urban reportage-a
346 pages, Paperback
First published July 15, 2004
30 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Rubén Gallo
27 books12 followersHola, soy Rubén Gallo, autor de Muerte en La Habana, una novela policial ambientada en la noche habanera. He publicado otros libros sobre Cuba — Teoría y práctica de La Habana (2017), Crónicas de una pequeña ciudad mexicana en La Habana (2020) — además de ensayos sobre la cultura mexicana y latinoamericana como Freud en México: historia de un delirio (2015) y Los latinoamericanos de Proust (2016)
Vivo en Nueva York desde hace tiempo y soy fan de André Pieyre de Mandiargues.
Vivo en Nueva York desde hace tiempo y soy fan de André Pieyre de Mandiargues.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 22, 2015
Agh, that earthquake essay!
May 16, 2020
La ciudad de México y yo tenemos uno de esos romances para toda la vida a prueba de todo...
Y en el afán de conocer mas sobre el objeto de mi amor es que me encontré con este libro que debo decir termine consiguiendo de segunda mano del lago del gabacho porque aquí no lo encontraba por ningún lado.
La recopilación de cuentos y ensayos de diferentes épocas por muy diversos autores fue maravillosa, empezo a subir de ritmo bastante bien pero hubo un momento que uno de los escritos (no quisiera mencionar el autor - cof, cof- Juan Villoro -cof) me hizo casi desistir, me sobrepuse al sopor de leerlo y para mi sorpresa fue en crescendo nuevamente, al final, el ritmo bajo de súbito y cerro medio flojón así es que eso le mereció quedarse solo con 4 estrellas.
El libro esta dividido en ciertas temáticas que te llevan desde el transporte, monumentos, lugares hasta las criadas y la burocracia. Fue una sorpresa y un placer hacer las pases con Jorge Ibargüengoitia, pero tampoco de quedan atrás José Joaquín Blanco, Vicente Leñero y Ricardo Garibay. El fragmento del libro de Elena Poniatowska me estremeció. Definitivamente me encanto haberme obstinado en conseguir el libro porque lo disfrute muchísimo, me hizo pensar, reír y hasta llorar un poco. No cabe duda que la ciudad esta llena de defectos y problemas y es caótica y a la vez fascinante y encantadora... pero eso sí, como ella, ninguna otra.
Y en el afán de conocer mas sobre el objeto de mi amor es que me encontré con este libro que debo decir termine consiguiendo de segunda mano del lago del gabacho porque aquí no lo encontraba por ningún lado.
La recopilación de cuentos y ensayos de diferentes épocas por muy diversos autores fue maravillosa, empezo a subir de ritmo bastante bien pero hubo un momento que uno de los escritos (no quisiera mencionar el autor - cof, cof- Juan Villoro -cof) me hizo casi desistir, me sobrepuse al sopor de leerlo y para mi sorpresa fue en crescendo nuevamente, al final, el ritmo bajo de súbito y cerro medio flojón así es que eso le mereció quedarse solo con 4 estrellas.
El libro esta dividido en ciertas temáticas que te llevan desde el transporte, monumentos, lugares hasta las criadas y la burocracia. Fue una sorpresa y un placer hacer las pases con Jorge Ibargüengoitia, pero tampoco de quedan atrás José Joaquín Blanco, Vicente Leñero y Ricardo Garibay. El fragmento del libro de Elena Poniatowska me estremeció. Definitivamente me encanto haberme obstinado en conseguir el libro porque lo disfrute muchísimo, me hizo pensar, reír y hasta llorar un poco. No cabe duda que la ciudad esta llena de defectos y problemas y es caótica y a la vez fascinante y encantadora... pero eso sí, como ella, ninguna otra.
August 9, 2014
An excellent anthology of essays on Mexico City, one of the most fascinating cities on earth.
August 26, 2024
The Mexico City Reader is a book as dense and absurd as the megalopolis it devotes itself to. I greatly enjoyed the selection of crónicas in this collection and am now a crónica lover. I think this kind of creative narrative based in nonfiction is especially appealing to me as someone who is constantly looking to learn but who also becomes easily bored by lack of artistic flair or style in addressing the truth of a subject. This book was recommended to me by one of my art history professors who is from Mexico City and often has it on reserve at the library for students. He first thought of me because of the essay on Chinese cafés by José de la Colina. I thought I'd enjoy that one a lot but actually it didn't hold my attention/interest as much as many others. I picked up this book earlier this spring but it ended up gathering dust on my shelf for awhile until I checked it out again this summer and gave in another go, having now visited Mexico City and gleaning a different reading experience from my now-personal relationship to the city which I adore just as much as (and in large part because) I am confounded by its many contradictions. I love big, weird cities and the people in them. This book, from my very limited gringa perspective, does a great job of exploring the city from a wide variety of angles that does not seek to create a single narrative about the city but rather leave the reader with more questions and reflections to come.
My favorite essays were:
Introduction
The University
Ambulantes
The Earthquake
Garbage
Call the Doctor
The Metro
Zona Rosa, 1965
Cuauhtémoc
My favorite essays were:
Introduction
The University
Ambulantes
The Earthquake
Garbage
Call the Doctor
The Metro
Zona Rosa, 1965
Cuauhtémoc
October 26, 2018
Quiero casarme con este libro en Nuestra Señora del Concreto en la Del Valle, vivir en la Roma y que nos despierte la campana de la basura <3
December 17, 2017
I hate giving this book three stars, because the good chapters were five-star chapters. But the bad chapters were dry and academic, lacking completely all of the spark and color that attracts me to Mexico in the first place. Because of their density, the academic chapters outnumbered the good chapters, and therefore the whole book has to suffer with three stars.
The highlights:
--The chapter by the earthquake survivor who had to lie trapped under a slab next to her husband's decomposing body for three days
--The chapters on the maids
--The chapter on the sex clubs (academic, but still interesting because of the subject matter)
--The chapter on the garbage pickers (same)
Everything else was tedious and assumed a background knowledge of Mexican history that I really don't have. This would be a better book for someone who is already familiar with Mexico as opposed to someone who is looking for an introduction to Mexico.
The highlights:
--The chapter by the earthquake survivor who had to lie trapped under a slab next to her husband's decomposing body for three days
--The chapters on the maids
--The chapter on the sex clubs (academic, but still interesting because of the subject matter)
--The chapter on the garbage pickers (same)
Everything else was tedious and assumed a background knowledge of Mexican history that I really don't have. This would be a better book for someone who is already familiar with Mexico as opposed to someone who is looking for an introduction to Mexico.
April 4, 2018
Hardly an encouragement to visit Mexico City, this collection of essays dealing with various aspects of life in the capital seems a bit outdated -- in the sense that things are probably not as bad now as they were when the pieces were written. Still, the mostly self-deprecating and critical tone of the book prepares you for a city that's anything but a tourist trap. Your expectations having been lowered thus, you just might be pleasantly surprised finding a gem of an architectural landmark here and an interesting cultural experience there if you actually come to see for yourself. Some of the essays are less valuable than others, but there are plenty of vivid insights in the book to give you a better understanding of the city's life and its residents' daily experiences.
December 12, 2022
A very beautiful description of one of the world's fastest growing cities. Essays have been arranged in a way to describe neighbourhoods not just as mere livelihoods but like oak trees, their branches extending into people's lives and personified in the likes of mischievous girls, cranky teenagers, passionate lovers , frustrated women or exhausted elders and it's copious roots comprising of various classes and ecosystems trying to find the common trunk of the city (and barely able to). Time not only forms a sentimental change but also a doorway of changing eras while still remaining relatively the same during the 71 years PRI rule. I would term this book a must-read for anyone planning to visit this bustling city
November 20, 2018
an opus. but a good one for understanding one of my favorite cities in the world in all its complications and layers.
August 6, 2020
Un libro imprescindible para conocer una de las ciudades más caóticas del mundo.
May 14, 2013
Overall, a very good anthology of diverse material on Mexico City. The focus on just the one city—the DF—is wise and unique: many readers/books would try to encompass all of Mexico or Mexican minorities or women in Mexico or whatever have you. But by narrowing the scope via geography and openly showcasing Mexico City as a geographical unit worthy of its own anthology (which it is, certainly) this book opens up many varied aspects of the locale from foodways to politics to history. Indeed, instead of having too-narrow a focus, in fact the book is far too short to come close to cutting into the deep layers of Mexico City, though it's a fine place to start—the best place insofar as social sciences I would say. My only complaints are:
1) It's already very dated: we need a new edition of this fine book for it to address today's Mexico City. I am awaiting the day when anthologies will be websites instead of books and constantly updated akin to Wikipedia or Wikitravel. In many cases, the age of this book really shows though that should not discourage anyone from reading it because it does still offer a real wealth of insight.
2) The book simply should have been longer. Aside from the cost of printing a slightly larger book, I don't see any real obstacle to making it longer, either, as many course readers number over 600 pages. This one clocks less than 350 pages and there are plenty of worthwhile essays on Mexico City in the public domain—historical documents, even—so copyright isn't a viable problem. The editorial approach taken has been superb: nearly all the included material is great. However, the editor could have sourced even more material to produce a far more robust book. "Readers" really serve two purposes: to educate a seminar student or other person on the topic at hand via reading the whole damn book or, to serve as a reference book for someone interested/involved in the subject. For the latter, the more material the better.
I hope for a new edition of this book soon. For now, it's still very worthwhile despite my small misgivings.
1) It's already very dated: we need a new edition of this fine book for it to address today's Mexico City. I am awaiting the day when anthologies will be websites instead of books and constantly updated akin to Wikipedia or Wikitravel. In many cases, the age of this book really shows though that should not discourage anyone from reading it because it does still offer a real wealth of insight.
2) The book simply should have been longer. Aside from the cost of printing a slightly larger book, I don't see any real obstacle to making it longer, either, as many course readers number over 600 pages. This one clocks less than 350 pages and there are plenty of worthwhile essays on Mexico City in the public domain—historical documents, even—so copyright isn't a viable problem. The editorial approach taken has been superb: nearly all the included material is great. However, the editor could have sourced even more material to produce a far more robust book. "Readers" really serve two purposes: to educate a seminar student or other person on the topic at hand via reading the whole damn book or, to serve as a reference book for someone interested/involved in the subject. For the latter, the more material the better.
I hope for a new edition of this book soon. For now, it's still very worthwhile despite my small misgivings.
July 27, 2012
En el prólogo, y en el título, dice que este libro es mejor leerlo paseando, pero en mi caso todo fue de memoria: cosas que me pasaron y otras que nunca he vivido, cosas que son y otras que ya no.
Las ciudades cambian a prisa.
Hay algunas partes que están muy divertidas y otras que dan igual, hay una sobre el temblor especialmente triste y unas que en verdad me sorprendieron y me causaron shock, como una donde habla de ratas comiéndole la cara y los dedos a los bebés y otra de un colectivo artístico que se dedicó a usar cadáveres en todas sus obras; super fuerte, sobre todo porque habla de la morgue como reflejo de la sociedad mexicana y ni siquiera había iniciado la guerra contra el narco.
Este libro fue visitar la ciudad, con sus molestias y problemas incluídos en lugar de idealizada como a veces la tengo en mi cabeza.
Como reencontrarte con un ex novio y darte cuenta de por qué ya no están juntos, pero también cuanto lo amaste (ay ay ay)
Las ciudades cambian a prisa.
Hay algunas partes que están muy divertidas y otras que dan igual, hay una sobre el temblor especialmente triste y unas que en verdad me sorprendieron y me causaron shock, como una donde habla de ratas comiéndole la cara y los dedos a los bebés y otra de un colectivo artístico que se dedicó a usar cadáveres en todas sus obras; super fuerte, sobre todo porque habla de la morgue como reflejo de la sociedad mexicana y ni siquiera había iniciado la guerra contra el narco.
Este libro fue visitar la ciudad, con sus molestias y problemas incluídos en lugar de idealizada como a veces la tengo en mi cabeza.
Como reencontrarte con un ex novio y darte cuenta de por qué ya no están juntos, pero también cuanto lo amaste (ay ay ay)
November 7, 2009
Stories Read:
"Zona Rosa, 1965" - Vicente Lenero
"Division del Norte" - Julieta Garcia Gonzalez
"The Metro" - Juan Villoro
"Voyage to the Cneter of the City" - Ricardo Garibay
"The Metro: A Voyage to the End of the Squeeze" - Carlos Monsivais
"Armondo's Tortas" - Jorge Ibarguengoitia
"Call the Doctor" - Jorge Ibarguengoitia
"Who's There" - Jorge Ibarguengoitia
"Nightlife" - Carlos Monsivais
"SEMEFO: The Morgue" - Cuauhetemoc Medina
"Zona Rosa, 1965" - Vicente Lenero
"Division del Norte" - Julieta Garcia Gonzalez
"The Metro" - Juan Villoro
"Voyage to the Cneter of the City" - Ricardo Garibay
"The Metro: A Voyage to the End of the Squeeze" - Carlos Monsivais
"Armondo's Tortas" - Jorge Ibarguengoitia
"Call the Doctor" - Jorge Ibarguengoitia
"Who's There" - Jorge Ibarguengoitia
"Nightlife" - Carlos Monsivais
"SEMEFO: The Morgue" - Cuauhetemoc Medina
February 8, 2008
The anthology is really varied: from excellent pieces to less interesting ones. Some favorites: Julieta Garcia Gonzalez's "Division del Norte," Gonzalo Celorio's "Mexico, City of Paper."
January 13, 2010
Read it before a trip to Mexico City. Great read!
December 10, 2010
A really great book shows us how everything is great and worth to die for
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews