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A review by mgerboc
Massacre in Mexico by Elena Poniatowska
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Haunting. For anyone vaguely aware of contemporary Mexican history, you'll know that the student movement if 1968 and the subsequent government repression, culminating in the massacre at Tlatelolco, left an enormous scar on the political and moral conscience of that country. When I was living in Mexico as a student in 2006-2007, there was a popular uprising in protest of the presidential election of 2006, and there were, among the million or so people occupying the capital, several banners and flags declaring the holders to be veterans of 1968. And as most violent political repression does, this was the first real crack in the domination of the PRI as the preeminent political party in México. It took another 30+ years to elect someone outside of that party, but it's hard to massacre hundreds of students at a peaceful protest while maintaining any veneer of progressive moral high ground.
Anyway, I digress. The real reason I'm here is to praise the work of Elena Poniatowska, who may be my favorite living author. Her collection of statements and memories of Tlatelolco and the events which led to it, while of course conflicting, are still the best way to really experience what happened (short of being present for it). The style she uses, of taking fragments of statements given to her - and honestly bless those family members and friends who were willing to recall such a nightmare fo the sake of public memory - slowly immerses the reader so you really feel like you're experiencing the events alongside these very real people. She moves effortlessly and logically from statements all in agreement to juxtaposing recollections of those on the ground with press coverage and government/military statements at the time. Conflicting statements from students, activists, soldiers, and some random observers truly create a visual, visceral experience.
I personally liked her similar "Nothing, nobody: Voices of the Mexico City earthquake" a bit better, but this is still an absolute gem, which anyone interested in contemporary history, activist politics, the Cold War, Mexico, civil rights, etc., should absolutely read.
Anyway, I digress. The real reason I'm here is to praise the work of Elena Poniatowska, who may be my favorite living author. Her collection of statements and memories of Tlatelolco and the events which led to it, while of course conflicting, are still the best way to really experience what happened (short of being present for it). The style she uses, of taking fragments of statements given to her - and honestly bless those family members and friends who were willing to recall such a nightmare fo the sake of public memory - slowly immerses the reader so you really feel like you're experiencing the events alongside these very real people. She moves effortlessly and logically from statements all in agreement to juxtaposing recollections of those on the ground with press coverage and government/military statements at the time. Conflicting statements from students, activists, soldiers, and some random observers truly create a visual, visceral experience.
I personally liked her similar "Nothing, nobody: Voices of the Mexico City earthquake" a bit better, but this is still an absolute gem, which anyone interested in contemporary history, activist politics, the Cold War, Mexico, civil rights, etc., should absolutely read.