This book is a mix
of three, a history, a travelogue, and a last will and testament.
During the period he
is researching and writing John Harrison is very ill and receives
ever bleaker diagnosis – that leave you mostly assuming it was a
posthumous publication.
He travels in
Mexico, and this beyond the tourist trail this is a not easy – and
his tales of the places and people are engaging.
He explores the
events and mindset of the Spanish as they invaded Mexico and ended up
massacring the people – with a mix of swords and small pox.
In the clash of
cultures, Harrison’s narrative empowers the natives of Mexico and
rejects the myths that the Spanish civilisation overran cultures that
were backward and barbaric – on balance it was pox that provided
the Spanish victory despite their violence and bloodshed.
The contested role
of Malinche, as a women, translator, native of the Americas but not
of Mexico is one of the strongest points of interest – and although
Harrison gives her greater attention than many I think she remains
more marginal that she really was.
While the three
streams within the book are full of interest it was not always clear
how they were intended to speak to one another and overall I found it
some what disjointed and muddled.
I am not sure if I
have somehow ended up with a review copy, because there are various
references to illustrations that don’t exist and errors in the
layout and typesetting – if this is the standard edition it
reflects very poorly on the publisher Parthian.
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