(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best mexico history books

The best thing for this is a good primary source. The best primary source on the Aztec religion is the Florentine Codex, an extensive study of all aspects of Aztec society compiled in the 1500s by Bernardino de Sahagun and several native american associates of his at the college of Tlatelolco.

Recently, all 12 books were translated into English. The ones you would find most helpful would be:

Book 1: The Gods which is a full description of the entire pantheon and what was believed about each god, complete with illustrations.

Book 3, the Origin of the Gods, might also be helpful, as well as books 4 and 5 on Soothsayers and Omens.

Mexico will not win due to the innate problems of teamwork and trust that are so ingrained in Mexican society. The USA will likely win sometime in the next 50 years. All it will take is for urban youths to realize that there is an amazing amount of money to be made by playing soccer overseas.

Edit: This is a fantastic read for anyone interested in modern Mexican culture.

Honestly I would recommend reading about actual movements and autonomous resistance then inaccessible theory. IRL things get more complicated then theory and I've learned way more from looking at the lessons and accomplishments of people with boots on the ground in revolution. Also it helps me to believe that another world really is possible.


I recommend Compañeras: Zapatista Women's Stories by Hillary Klein and Walking with the Comrades by Arundhati Roy. Also Submedia's series Trouble has a lot of great reporting on movements we can learn from.

I looked through your sources and see you didn't use any June Nash (anthropologist). I had to complete a research paper over some of her works last year and she had a heavy emphasis on Marxist and feminist social theory. A book of hers that might have been helpful would be 'Mayan Visions' which explores the indigenous resistance at the margins of expanding global capitalism, she covers the EZLN pretty thoroughly. I guess you can only read it for enjoyment now, that goes for the OP aswell.

http://www.amazon.com/Mayan-Visions-Quest-Autonomy-Globalization/dp/0415928621/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1344323550&sr=8-3&keywords=june+nash

I was luckily able to get it through my university library though.

The go-to for Aztec deities, religion, and mythology has always been the Florentine Codex and probably the Borgia and Mendoza Codices. Every other book or article about the subject usually references at least one of the codices above.

For the shaft tomb culture I recommend Ancient West Mexico edited by Richard Townsend. It's kind of an art history meets archaeology book and until Chris Beekman, my advisor, publishes his book on shaft tombs I think Ancient West Mexico is the most up to date source on just the shaft tomb culture. Another book that you can find is Greater Mesoamerica: The Archaeology of West and Northwest Mexico edited by Foster and Gorenstein. That gives a larger view of West Mexico, but it still includes chapters on the shaft tomb culture.

Article-wise, I was able to find these four articles through Google Scholar that were free to read. Otherwise the rest are beyond paywalls. I can upload a bunch of stuff to Dropbox or Drive if you'd like when you're done checking out these ones.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christopher_Beekman/publication/231922536_THE_CHRONOLOGICAL_CONTEXT_OF_THE_CENTRAL_JALISCO_SHAFT_TOMBS/links/545d583b0cf295b5615e6b6a.pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Christopher_Beekman/publication/231753737_THE_SHAFT_TOMBS_OF_THE_ATEMAJAC_VALLEY_AND_THEIR_RELATION_TO_SETTLEMENT/links/545d57fd0cf27487b44d4e18.pdf

http://staging.doaks.org/resources/publications/doaks-online-publications/palaces-of-the-ancient-new-world/isbn-0-88402-300-1.pdf#page=68

http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/uncg/f/J_Mountjoy_Burial_2006.pdf

And for books that focus on Mesoamerica as a whole, I recommend these two. I know one of them I used for a class and I really liked it, but I can't remember which. They both probably neglect West Mexico and if they mention it in any capacity it is to mention the Postclassic and Contact Tarascan state. c'est le vie

http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Mexico-Central-America-Archaeology/dp/0500287147/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1453330091&sr=8-11&keywords=ancient+mexico

http://www.amazon.com/Mexico-Olmecs-Aztecs-Ancient-Peoples/dp/0500290768/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453330091&sr=8-2&keywords=ancient+mexico

Ahhuatl's suggestions are great, and the Florentine Codex (especially Book 1) is pretty much your authoritative source. Leon-Portilla is another great resource and you may want to check out his Aztec Thought and Culture if you ever want a scholarly look at the philosophy of Aztec religion.

If you're looking for the myths themselves though, you may want to check out Taube and Miller's Illustrated Dictionary of the Gods and Symbols of Ancient Mexico and the Maya. It is a dictionary/encyclopedia though, so it may be kind of dry. Carrasco's Daily Life of the Aztecs doesn't directly tell the myths but does feature large passages on important rituals (and is just a good book overall).

1491 is a great overview. For insights into specific cultures, check out the Mayan, Mixtec, and Nahua codices. Facsimile copies of the Dresden Codex, the oldest known surviving text in the Americas, are available. The original text is thought to date back to the 11th—12th centuries CE. Miguel Leon-Portilla and the late Earl Shorris' In the Language of Kings: An Anthology of Mesoamerican Literature, Pre-Columbian to the Present is an excellent read.

Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, also known as Garcilaso de la Vega (1539–1616), was a Spanish and Quechua historian. An abridged version of his The Royal Commentaries of the Incas and General History of Peru was published in 2006.

Thanks for this; Sam Quinones is a consistently interesting writer, and his book True Tales from Another Mexico was a really good read for anyone interested in Mexico.

The Conquest of Mexico by Bernal Diaz. An amazing first-hand account of one of the greatest (and bloodiest) adventures in human history, the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.

For history suggestions, don't forget /r/history

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Looking quickly at their excellent reading/watching list, https://www.reddit.com/r/history/wiki/recommendedlist

I see this:

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Latin American/Caribbean History

General

• *Born In Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America: Fourth Edition By John Charles Chasteeen. This edition was published in 2016 and features an improved set of maps and illustrations.
  
• *The Oxford Handbook of Latin American History By John C. Moye
  
• *Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent: 2009 edition By Eduardo Galeano.
  
• Latin America: Regions and People By Robert B. Kent.
  
• The Cambridge History of Latin America By Leslie Bethell.
  
• Afro-Latin America: 1800-2000 By George Reid Andrews.
  
• Ancient Maya: The Rise and Fall of a Rainforest Civilization By Arthur Demarest is one of the best introductions to Mayan history.
  
• Ancient Mexico and Central America: Archaeology and Culture History By Susan Toby Evans.
  
• In From The Cold: Latin America's New Encounter With the Cold War by Gilbert M. Joseph and Daniela Spencer.
  
• Revolution and Revolutionaries: Guerrilla Movements in Latin America By Daniel Castro.
  
• The History of Latin America: A Collision of Cultures By Michael Eakin explores 500 years of Latin American history and looks at the economic, political, social and cultural evolution of its nations and their peoples.
  
• The Oxford History of Latin American Economics By Jose Antonio Ocampo and Jaime Ros. This is a good introduction to understanding the development of economics and policy in Latin America.
  
• Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for Independence by Robert Harvey.
  
• Politics of Latin America: The Power Game: 4th Edition by Harry E. Vandon and Gary Prevost looks at the political history of Latin America and delves into the sociopolitical issues that have influenced Latin America from the ground up as well emerging issues and new problems facing Latin America in the age of globalization. Vandon and Prevost
  
  

  South America
  

  
  

• A Concise History of Brazil By Boris and Sergio Fausto.
  
• Short History of Brazil, A : From Pre-Colonial Peoples to Modern Economic Miracle By Gordon Kerr.
  
• A New Economic History of Argentina by Gerardo Della Paolera and Alan M. Taylor.
  
• The Argentina Reader by Gabriella Nouzeilles and Graciela Montaldo.
  
• A History of Chile: Enduring Editions by Luis Galdames.
  
• The Paraguay Reader: History, Culture, Politics by Peter Lambert and Andrew Nickson.
  
• The Ecuador Reader by Carlos de la Torre and Steve Striffler.
  
  

  Central America
  

  
  

• Power in the Isthmus: A Political History of Modern Central America By James Dunkerley.
  
• Simon Bolivar: A Life By John Lynch explores the life of the extraordinary man who liberated six countries from the Spanish Empire made a lasting impression on the politics and society of Central America still tangible today.
  
• The History of Panama by Robert C. Harding covers a century of history, economy and culture in Panama.
  
• The Costa Rica Reader by Steven Palmer. Covers the history of Costa Rica.
  
• Columbia Before Independence: Economy, Society and Politics under Bourbon Rule by Anthony McFarlane.
  
• Democracy and Socialism in Sandinista Nicaragua By Harry E. Vandon and Gary Prevost.
  
  

Hi! I'd be happy to help out with some suggestions:

The Secret War in Mexico is older, but still excellent. It is fact-heavy and not easy to read, though.

Treacherous Passage is new, and having only skimmed a few pages at a friend's house, one I'm interested in reading ASAP.

Intervention! covers the Mexican Revolution from am an American perspective.

The modern Chihuahua is named after the region in Northern Mexico, back in the day, it probably came in a hairless and "powderpuff" form. The hairless ones were companions and used as healers. The hairy ones were eaten, sometimes lead on long leashes, one by one, and taken on long journeys to be slowly eaten when food was needed. Dogs were the domesticated animal of choice for the indigenous people of the Americas. Bigger dogs were used to pull snow sleds and land sleds, help plow fields, bring down big game, and protect families. Little dogs were companions, and used at special festivals and during times of famine.


http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1807-59322010001000022&script=sci_arttext&tlng=es%20latin%20americans

https://www.amazon.com/Early-Mesoamerican-Village-UPDATED/dp/1598744690/ref=sr_1_1?s=instant-video&ie=UTF8&qid=1434831256&sr=8-1&keywords=flannery%2C+kent+v.+early+mesoamerican

http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/chihuahua/detail/#2

Two that come to mind are Jacques Soustelle's Daily Life of the Aztecs and Henri Daniel-Rops Daily Life in Palestine at the Time of Christ? Not really ancient, though. There are some more on the Aztecs that focus more on yearly ritual cycles, and some very good ones that are from even later (Qing China) and modern Egypt that are very, very good if you are interested.

What kinda of history you feeling? Broad histories of empires/states or more specific accounts?

I was mentioning this the other day as one of the best adventures I've read: https://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Conquest-Mexico-Bernal-Castillo/dp/030681319X

First hand account of Diaz's conquest.

This might be the same book but cheaper: https://www.amazon.com/Conquest-New-Spain-Penguin-Classics/dp/0140441239

Idk I found mine in a goodwill and it's one of my favorite books.

I've been reading two books in particular. I'm not sure if there are online versions of either.

One is a historical reader I found in a used book shop (http://www.amazon.com/Rebellion-Chiapas-An-Historical-Reader/dp/1565844521). It is a bit dry, but it has a lot of primary documents stretching backs to the 1500s and up through EZLN communiques until 1998 or so.

The other is an activist's account of his attempt to engage in solidarity with the Zapatistas by helping a community build a water system (http://www.akpress.org/zapatistaspring.html). It's an enjoyable read, and gives an on-the-ground perspective of the Zapatista struggle.

Currently reading, and would like to finish:

1. Interaction Ritual Chains by Randal Collins
   
   Started in 2014, put down, would like to finish in 2015:
   
   
2. Aztecs by Inga Clendinnen
   
   
3. The Ego Tunnel by Thomas Metzinger
   
   Would like to re-read in 2015:
   
   
4. Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace
   
   
5. White Noise by Don DeLillo
   
   
6. Anathem by Neal Stephenson
   
   Would like to read in 2015:
   
   
7. The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro
   
   
8. A couple of books for /r/SF_Book_Club
   
   
9. Blindsight and Echopraxia by Peter Watts, back-to-back
   
   
10. At least one or two books on Buddhist philosophy / practice
    
    
11. At least one or two books on philosophy, either philo of mind or more cultural studies / anthro / sociology type stuff.

I think a great place to start would be "The Maya" by Michael Coe

and

"Mexico, from the Olmec to the Aztec" By Michael Coe and Rex Koontz.

Both are quite academic in nature though, so if you have trouble with academic writing they may not be the best choices, though they are certainly some of the best background books on Mesoamerica I have found.

Edit: Also, nitpicking, but that would be Maya, as Mayan is an adjective describing things (eg: Mayan Ceramics), and Maya is the name of the people. :)

This is the kind of post that I subscribe to /r/Phoenix for. Great insights and I'm glad to see that you're motivated to get out and vote.

Historically, Mexicans have been in Arizona forever and have always been an integral part of the state's economy. I recommend that you check out "Line in the Sand" by Rachel St. John.

It's a brief histoory of the US Mexico border between (mostly) El Paso and San Diego that was drawn after the Mexican American War.

Switzerland has not fought an international war since 1815.

I agree that Armed neutrality is best neutrality.

You should check out the book Total Resistance by Swiss Army Major h. Von Dach http://www.amazon.com/Total-Resistance-H-Von-Dach/dp/0873640217

Nice, they mention Total Resistance.

the discovery and conquest of mexico. great book that gives first-hand accounts of how violent the aztecs were

This book is considered a classic, although it's a bit old and may be less up-to-date than newer works.