The Huichol Indians, whose pre-Hispanic culture still survives in the remote Sierra Madres ranges, live a life woven of magic and sacred mythology. Believing themselves to be that part of creation which entertains the Gods, Huichols are sustained by their earthly representatives – corn, peyote and the deer – thus symbolically renewing their divinity daily. […]
Continue ReadingBefore starting out on this route, it is important to understand that the Meseta Purepecha is 100% rural, that unique artistic treasures of Mexico have been preserved, and that there is little tourist infrastructure. For an unforgettable vacation and an even better guide to Michoacán, please ask for the pamphlets and maps of the Uruapan […]
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Cogan’s Reviews Readers of these reviews may remember that I was a big fan of Jenning’s previous work, Aztec . I gave it my highest accolade – five stars. And here comes the sequel, which is almost as good. The action in this one takes place 12 years after all the goings on in Aztec and concerns […]
Continue ReadingCogan’s Reviews Several months ago I reviewed Mexifornia by Victor Davis Hanson. The author of that one described his book as “a reflection upon the strange society that is emerging as the result of a demographic and cultural revolution like no other in our times” – namely, the heavy duty immigration of Mexicans to California and neighboring […]
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Cogan’s Reviews I reviewed the forerunner of this novel, “Rain of Gold”, a short time ago and reported that I really enjoyed it, even though I don’t normally read many family sagas. The first book was based on the history of the author’s mother’s family. This book is a kind of sequel in which Villaseñor tells […]
Continue ReadingCogan’s Reviews This one is an extremely interesting collection of articles about various facets of Mexican life which we gringos probably don’t hear about in the normal course of events. Perhaps if we read Mexican newspapers we’d be more familiar with some of the stories you’ll find here. It’s an odd mixture of very positive […]
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Cogan’s Reviews I have to admit there were moments during my reading of the first hundred or so pages of this book when I wondered if I would finish it. Rereading the notes I made along the way I see that at one point I wrote the question: Who are the intended readers of this […]
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Cogan’s Reviews I suspect this may turn out more like a travel article than a book review. In late March we took a tour through the length of the Copper Canyon and I find it difficult to know how to write about this book without bringing in various aspects of the Canyon trip itself. It […]
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Cogan’s Reviews So far I haven’t managed to make it to the Baja. Hopefully that will be corrected in the next year or two as my wife and I work our way through the list of places we hope to visit in Mexico. However, while reading Steinbeck’s book, I found myself looking up various guidebooks […]
Continue ReadingCogan’s Reviews As Ms. Spiegel writes in her introduction: “San Miguel de Allende is infused with history: every cobblestone seems to hide secrets about its past. All the stores and boutiques housed in former colonial mansions; all the restaurants that occupy the courtyards of elegant villas, all the gigantic wooden doorways through which the carriages of […]
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