An attractive combination of text and photographs, characteristic of the Life World Library, this volume on Mexico was prepared by William Walker Johnson and Life’s editors. The books consists of some ninety excellent photographs and illustrations supported by an introduction by former Ambassador Hill, ten chapters of text, a calendar of important dates, a selected bibliography, and end maps.
The text will provide the layman and even the beginning student with an adequate introduction to Mexico. Individual chapters deal with the country’s physical environment, history, politics, education, arts, fiestas, and the “gap to be closed.” The commentary is occasionally marred by errors or oversimplifications. Carranza was not given the presidency in 1914; Díaz was a mestizo rather than an Indian; the Obregón-Villa-Pershing border conference was not primarily concerned with preventing raids on American property; confirmatory titles are given to others than squatters; and large industrialists are not formally represented within the official party. Cárdenas did not expropriate foreign petroleum holdings to settle a workers’ strike, but rather to meet a challenge by the foreign companies to his government. Assertions that Santa Anna was principally responsible for Mexican territorial losses and that land hungry Zapatistas forced Carranza’s 1915 decree are oversimplifications at best.
These minor slips are more than compensated for by the sense of understanding conveyed of the diverse aspects which make up Mexico and by the outstanding photographic illustrations, well-captioned excepting only the incorrect identification of El Toreo as Plaza México. These handsome and revealing pictures alone are worth the cost of the book and the time spent perusing it.
