In the Yucatan
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Book Overview
In the central Yucatan a group of Maya Indian workers revolt against the corrupt oligarchy of government, business, the official union, and the press. Two young men--a traditional Maya leader and a Mexican-American lawyer--are drawn into ever deeper commitment to the struggle. When they are caught in a trap and thrown into jail, the lawyer declares a hunger strike. The story of the Maya workers, and of their village, is narrated in a series of vivid flashbacks that alternate with the grim deprivations and interrogations in the prison. Day by day, the young lawyer approaches death, and in his discussions with his friend and cell mate, there emerge two different definitions of love, loyalty, and courage, each man's version determined by the culture from which he springs. One of the chief delights of this rich, intense storytelling is the introduction it provides to the Maya understanding of time, medicine, and proper behavior. Although everything that happens in the novel could have appeared in the latest news stories out of Mexico, nothing happens quite as expected, and the startling conclusion could only have taken place in the Yucatan.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0393342026
ISBN13:9780393342024
Release Date:May 2000
Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company
Length:266 Pages
Weight:0.75 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"
Customer Reviews
3 ratings
An Exceptional Book
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
This is a very moving story with characters that become real within the first few pages. It opens our eyes to the Maya ways of thought and to the modern struggles of all working people in a sometimes cruel and corrupt world. The ending took me by surprise but I didn't want to close the book or let go of the characters. I wanted to just begin reading this truely powerful story again. I highly recommend it!
Brave and Beautiful
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This is a brave and beautiful book. Hard and sometimes harsh, it uses the language and imagery of an ancient people to tell a modern and eternal story of courage in the face of corruption. Shorris makes excruciating the details of two men's battle against impossible odds, and by doing so, ennobles them. No one who cares about politics or social justice in Mexico -- or the USA -- should miss this powerful book.
Speaking Truth to Power
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 24 years ago
This is an brave and powerful book. It takes on profound issues facing all of us -- in the US as well as Mexico: economic domination, political corruption, and the meaning of courage in a world without empathy. There is no cynicism at the heart of this book; despite its sometimes gritty language and always too-accurate portrayals of the ways of power, at its heart this author must believe that there is a role for the lonely soldier of truth. Although this sometimes a hard book, I found lessons about life on every page. It should be read by anyone who cares about justice.
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