You have to admire the research put into this book.

It offers a wealth of information about Mexico and its history, going beyond what one might expect.

In fact, it delves so deeply that it includes details about bull fights that might be more than some readers care to know.

However, the fictional story that is used to convey these historical facts has a somewhat slow pace.

It's important to be aware that this book is a hefty 625 pages long.

This means that it requires a significant investment of time and patience to fully explore its contents.

Despite the slow start, those who are willing to persevere will likely find themselves rewarded with a deeper understanding of Mexico and its rich heritage.

Overall, this book is a unique blend of history and fiction that has the potential to both educate and entertain.

Whether you're a history buff or simply looking for an engaging read, it's definitely worth considering.

This is really a fantastic novel.

The way the author weaved together the converging lines of his family from the Indian, American, and Spanish ancestors was truly inspiring.

If someone had told me that I would read more than a chapter about each of these aspects while following a weekend bull fighting festival, I wouldn't have believed it.

However, it is precisely this that made the novel so engaging.

If you read this novel, it is also advisable to read his book about writing this book, titled "My Lost Mexico."

This book gives examples of where he went wrong in his initial attempt to write the novel, which was 30 years prior.

By reading it, you can see his process and how he changed it.

It also provides copies of pages from his notebooks while researching and outlining the novel, which is truly valuable.

If you are a writer or aspire to be one, this is a rare gift and a treat of insight, regardless of whether you like the original novel or not.

It offers a unique perspective into the creative process and can be a source of inspiration and learning for any writer.

I picked up this book with the intention of delving deeper into Mexican history.

It appeared to be a more accessible path compared to simply reading a straightforward history book.

To my disappointment, I only managed to glean a small amount of historical knowledge.

The majority of the content focused on bullfighting.

After reading just a quarter of the book, I found it increasingly difficult to tolerate.

The detailed descriptions of the bullfighting scenes made me queasy.

I had hoped for a more comprehensive exploration of Mexican history, but instead, I was bombarded with accounts of this particular aspect.

Perhaps if the book had balanced its coverage better, I would have been more inclined to continue reading.

As it stands, I have put the book aside and will look for a more suitable resource to satisfy my curiosity about Mexican history.

This is a captivating story that traverses generations of a family with roots in Spain, Mexico, and Virginia.

The narrative centers around a bullfight festival in a fictional location within Mexico.

At times, it feels epic, but for me, the story is marred by its historical inaccuracies.

I don't believe it truly represents the titular country or its people.

Nonetheless, I can understand the bias that stems from an American perspective, as the author visited this country.

For an engaging tale that loosely adheres to history, it is a recommended read.

However, it's important to remember that it is rife with fiction.

Overall, while the story has its flaws, it still manages to draw the reader in and offer an interesting glimpse into a fictional world.

It serves as a reminder that when reading historical fiction, we must approach it with a critical eye and not take everything at face value.

Despite its inaccuracies, it can still provide entertainment and spark our imagination.

A colleague recommended Michener to me. This is the first one of his books that I have finished.

To be honest, I do think this novel is a bit of a letdown. The main reason is that it is mostly fictional and does not rely on actual historic events in Mexico. Michener made up the Altomec tribe and invented historical figures when describing the Mexican revolution in the early 1900s. This really disappointed me.

However, there is also something positive. I did learn a great deal about bullfighting. I got to know its history, cultural significance, and the skillset required to be victorious.

I would be extremely interested in reading a book on Mexican history that is more firmly based in facts. Especially if it is written by a Mexican. Or perhaps a book that is deeply rooted in the Aztec civilization. I originally picked up this book to read before my trip to Mexico, where I visited Tulum.

Despite the disappointment with this particular novel, I still hope to read other Michener novels. I have read numerous reviews that claim most of his other works are brilliant. I am looking forward to exploring his other literary creations.

I have read numerous books written by him.

Admittedly, during my younger days, I was fully committed to reading every single word.

Nonetheless, this particular one just failed to truly pique my interest.

Part of the reason I was drawn to his works was the history he skillfully intertwined within the narratives.

However, by fabricating an entire people from scratch and endowing them with a history, he somehow managed to lose my attention.

Moreover, I simply do not have much interest in bullfighting, which happens to be at the core of most of the story.

Consequently, I just could not bring myself to finish this book.

It seems that this particular work deviated from the aspects that usually吸引 me to his writing, and as a result, it left me feeling rather disengaged.

I hope that in his future works, he can return to the elements that made his previous books so captivating.

I have discovered that reading Michener provides me with a profound sense of the people, the era, and the location. The characters he creates are truly memorable, and I develop a deep sympathy for their historical experiences.

I had been saving this particular work in anticipation of a trip to Mexico. Although I didn't consider it among my absolute favorites, and as some others have mentioned, it seemed rather focused on making us experts in central Mexican bullfighting, I do believe that Michener accomplished what I have come to anticipate from him.

He managed to transport me into the minds and hearts of the historic center of Mexican cultures, as they interact and clash. His vivid descriptions and detailed accounts allowed me to envision the rich tapestry of Mexican history and society, and to gain a better understanding of the forces that have shaped this fascinating country.

Overall, while it may not have been a perfect read for me, it did offer valuable insights and a unique perspective on Mexican culture and history.

I have read all of James Michener's books. This was quite a while ago as he was still living at that time.

Mexico and Texas were two of my absolute favorites among his works.

All of his books are rather slow starters. There is an abundance of detail about the place and the characters as they develop and evolve. However, these are truly wonderful stories that encompass both the people and the geography that had a profound impact on shaping them.

I have read that personally, he was extremely fond of the southwest, with a particular affinity for Texas. It's fascinating to think about how his love for that region might have influenced his writing and the vivid描绘 of the landscapes and cultures within his books.

His works offer a unique and in-depth look into different parts of the world, and I will always cherish the experiences I had while reading his books.

Michener's "Mexico" was written in 1992. He utilized the sport of bullfighting and fictional modern (1961) toreros, Juan Gomez and Victoriano, to construct a framework. Through this, his characters tell the history of the Mexican people. After reading the book, I turned to Wikipedia, suspecting that modern sensibilities might have significantly altered the bullfighting world. Indeed, the sport/art is now banned in five Mexican states, including Mexico City. The story mainly unfolds in the fictional city of Toledo and centers around photojournalist Norman Clay. Born in Mexico, married to a Mexican woman but now divorced and living in the U.S., working for a major newspaper, he is assigned to photograph and write about an important bullfight at the Festival of Ixmic in Toledo. Victoriano, of Spanish descent, is known as "The Filigreed (or delicate) Dancer," while Juan Gomez is sometimes called "The Brutal Indian" due to his combination of skill, bravery, awkwardness, and stubbiness. Michener examines the perceived differences in the heritage of the Mexican people, those descended from the Altomec Indians and those from Spanish immigrants. Generally, native Mexicans are depicted as less noble, cultured, graceful, and proper than their Spanish-descended counterparts. To his credit, Michener later states that one is not better than the other, just fundamentally different. I discussed this with my adult son, especially regarding the issues of dishonesty, bribery, and corruption in Mexico. We concluded that while these issues exist everywhere, if more prevalent in one society, it has more to do with a government system that allows official corruption and contributes to rampant poverty and desperation than with any inherent difference in the people. Besides the near demise of bullfighting since the novel was written, current attitudes towards stereotyping may have also prevented the book from being written today or changed its tone.

The structure of the book differs from what I expect in a Michener historic epic. Instead of a continuous plot spanning multiple generations of a family, he focuses on the present and uses a few characters to tell Mexico's past. I enjoy both techniques in his work.

He tells the story of human sacrifices by the Altomecs between AD 1151 and 1519. Apparently, this ritual may have begun due to the fear that the sun threatened to disappear as days shortened near the Winter Solstice. Michener's research, which is legendary, shows that while most sacrifices were from their own people, one horrible day saw the sacrifice of about 6,000 members of an enemy populace. During this 400-year era, there were probably over one million human sacrifices.

While Michener always intends the story of a people to be the main focus, I was actually most fascinated by his lengthy description of the great pyramid near his fictional Toledo, making me eager to visit the actual pyramid that inspired him, which likely was the Pyramid of the Sun near Mexico City. It sounds like a marvel of design, engineering, and beauty. I enjoyed using Google Maps photos to look at the sites I imagined Michener used as models for the fictional places in the book. After reading "Mexico," I've been searching for examples of Pre-Columbian art on Yahoo Images - it's amazing! I need to read a book on that topic alone. I've also added Hemingway's novel about bullfighting, "Death in the Afternoon," to my reading list.

I had a few frustrations with the novel regarding extraneous, missing, or incorrect information. I felt his foray into the American Civil War was unnecessary. Earlier, in 1847, during "The Mexican War," Mexico City was taken by the United States, but Michener didn't follow up to let us know when it returned to Mexican rule. In his depiction of the dangers of bullfighting, he made a medical misstatement. He said that a goring after eating a meal was more serious than in a fasting torero because spilling food from the gut would cause septicemia and death. In reality, it makes no difference as it is the indigenous gut flora that creates peritonitis. Finally, while Michener clearly took pride in learning and teaching all aspects of bullfighting, I remained strangely uninformed about how a bullfight with three toreros is officiated, scored, and decided.

Of course, Michener spends a fair amount of time on the 20th Century with details of the revolution. If you're in the mood for a highly operatic and dramatic comedy film that irreverently portrays some fictional and real characters from that era in Mexico, check out Sergio Leone's "A Fistful of Dynamite" with Rod Steiger and James Coburn.

When considering the vastness of a country's history, Michener is a master at developing a plot that allows characters and situations to gradually narrate that history in a highly entertaining way.

The book I read is truly a unique one.

It is very long, consisting of 650 pages, and is filled with detailed descriptions that can sometimes make it seem a bit drawn out.

If it weren't for the book club, I probably wouldn't have picked it up to read. However, I have to admit that if you have an interest in history, this book is really quite informative.

The story mainly revolves around bullfighting, but it also delves deep into the history of Mexico. It provides a comprehensive look at the cultural, social, and historical aspects of the country, giving readers a better understanding of its rich heritage.

Despite its length and detailed nature, the book manages to keep the reader engaged and interested, especially for those who are passionate about history and want to learn more about Mexico.

Overall, it is a worthwhile read for those who are willing to invest the time and effort to explore its pages.

I have always had a great passion for reading history. The way the stories were presented in this particular book was truly remarkable.

It opened my eyes in completely new ways. I was able to gain a deeper understanding of various aspects such as violence and religion, and how violence could sometimes be intertwined with religion. Additionally, it also delved into other important themes like slavery, bravery, patriotism, and revolution.

What made it even more unique was that all of these were set within the context of bullfighting. While I was initially glad to learn about this sport, there were times when those descriptions seemed to drag on a bit.

However, the play at the end of the book was a masterstroke. It managed to tie all the different feelings and emotions together in a beautiful and powerful way. I could truly feel the impact of it.

Reading this book did require some effort on my part, but in the end, it was more than worth it. It provided me with a wealth of knowledge and a new perspective on many important topics.

A book about the history of Mexico and the art of bullfighting is truly an interesting one.

Mexico has a rich and diverse history that dates back thousands of years. This book delves into the various aspects of that history, from the ancient civilizations that once thrived in the region to the modern era.

The art of bullfighting, on the other hand, is a controversial yet captivating part of Mexican culture. The book explores the traditions, techniques, and significance of bullfighting, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of this unique art form.

Whether you are interested in history, culture, or simply looking for an engaging read, this book about the history of Mexico and the art of bullfighting is sure to satisfy. It offers a fascinating glimpse into a country and a culture that are both complex and full of life.

So, if you are ready to embark on a journey through time and discover the wonders of Mexico, pick up this book and let it take you on an unforgettable adventure.