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Mexico  By  cover art

Mexico

By: James A. Michener
Narrated by: Alexander Adams
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Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize-winning author James A. Michener, whose novels hurtle from the far reaches of history to the dark corners of the world, paints an intoxicating portrait of a land whose past and present are as turbulent, fascinating, and colorful as any other on Earth. When an American journalist travels to report on the upcoming duel between two great matadors, he is ultimately swept up in the dramatic story of his own Mexican ancestry - from the brilliance and brutality of the ancients to the iron fist of the invading Spaniards to modern Mexico, fighting through dust and bloodshed to build a nation upon the ashes of revolution. Architectural splendors, frenzied bullfights, horrific human sacrifice: Michener weaves them all into an epic human story that ranks with the best of his beloved best-selling novels.

©2014 James A. Michener (P)2015 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Michener the storyteller at his finest.... There are splendid and authentic scenes in the plaza de toros that are as dramatic as any written by Ernest Hemingway or Barnaby Conrad." ( The New York Times Book Review)
"Astounding...fast-moving, intriguing.... Michener is back in huge, familiar form with Mexico." (Los Angeles Daily News)
"An enthralling story.... Michener artfully combines the history of Mexico with the art of bullfighting, teaching the reader about both and telling a grand story at the same time." ( St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

What listeners say about Mexico

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I wanted to learn more about Mexican history and culture...

This fit the bill very well. Reader is excellent. Great historical facts presented in a vivid narrative. Characters are a bit trite but fitting fit the time period.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Long Overdue Overview of the Nation to our South

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Absolutely because it brings a knowledge of the history (struggles, successes and people) to a nation which is hardly known to most of us, even in border states.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mexico?

The book is chock-full of "moments" so I would have to say the details about bullfighting and how it is created brought some understanding to me of how anyone could find pleasure in watching an animal tortured and killed before a huge audience. Educational.

What does Alexander Adams bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His voice intonation brought a needed variety to the many characters. If he were not so adept, the book could have been muddled and confusing.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Too many to describe.

Any additional comments?

Books by Michener are a real time-machine that carries us to places we could never go with today's technology. The color and spirit of his writing bring to life things and places that most of our imaginations could not. I am well into my next Michener book from Audible and am enjoying the journey very much.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

probably worst Michener book I have ever read

if you like bull fighting you will love this book. if you are looking for a history on Mexico... looks elsewhere

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

Normally after a book by Michener, I feel like I have a good grasp on the history of the country. Travelling to Mexico, I’ve become engrossed with the colourful history and characters in the Mexican Revolution. I was hoping to get a fair amount of that here. Instead, it was a rather superficial history of Mexico and 3/4 of a very long book of tedious bullfighting commentary. Most disappointing.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Must read

For all of us in North America to better understand our neighbors to the south.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

areas around Mexico City comes alive

a great book concerning the Indians and miners Mexico . I particularly loved the bullfighting connection and the development of the Bulls

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A novel mostly about bull fighting in Mexico

If you can get through the novel, you'll learn more about bull fighting in Mexico than about Mexican history.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Mexico

What did you love best about Mexico?

Enjoyed the history.

What did you like best about this story?

Bullfighting and Story of the Shiny Fish Bird- Amazing the lengths people go to find direction.

What about Alexander Adams’s performance did you like?

Granular Detail

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

uhhhh ...not a Mexico I know

I couldn't finish. I've traveled to Mexico many times and speak some Spanish. I enjoy listening to historical fiction of places I plan to visit, but this book was an utter disappointment. It was not about Mexico. It was a North American gringo's imaging of what Mexico is without capturing even a glimpse of the heart or soul of the Mexican people. The narrator was grating on my ears. Sounded like the old documentary newsreels from the 1950s that they often play between movies on Turner Classic Movies.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed it and recommend

I will admit it was difficult to get into at first and I got a little confused when the author jumped around in history and characters. However, after a few rewinds, since my confusion was likely more because of my lack of focus, I loved it. Great tale of a family and their history by a family member reflecting his past, sent home by his employers. Loved the choice of interacting characters from different backgrounds who converge over the weekend within the story's present time. Really enjoyed it.

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3 people found this helpful