Read about Mexico

I’ve been reading this collection of essays by Octavio Paz Lozano, who was a Mexican poet, writer, and diplomat. In 1990 Octavio Paz won the Nobel Prize in Literature. El Laberinto de la Soledad, or The Labyrinth of Solitude is what I’m reading now (yes, I’m reading it in English this time!), and so far it’s very interesting. It was written in 1950, so obviously times have changed, but he still gives a lot of insight into what Mexico was and is. He also compares Mexico with the United States, which gives interesting insight into the USA as it was and is. Octavio Paz died in 1998.

If you’re looking for insight into Mexico, I have another place you can look. Our coworker in Mexico, Rod Fry, has started another blog. It’s called In the Shadow of Volcanos. I especially enjoyed the entry from April 29th, Guilt, Freedom and the Power of the Gospel. It’s long (as blog posts go), but it’s worth it.