Evening star., 1941-04-06

of reading And unless the trav-
eler wishes to become a specialist
on the south-of- e-border country,
much of the spontaneity In travel
Is lost in too much reading.
Culled from the expanding Mexi-
can bookshelf are 20 books, obviously
a strain on the eyes and a tax on
the mind for anything but lengthy
preparation for going to Mexico,
but each worthwhile. At the end
of the list will be given further
condensation. Meanwhile, here are
the 20:
Guidebooks-O T. Philip Terry's
Guide to Mexico" Comprehensive.
Houghton Mifflin Co.
co Jean Austin's Mexico in Your
Pocket" To the point; excellent
on Yucatan. Doubleday, Doran 81
Co.
90 Frances Toor's Guide to Mex
ico." A wise counselor during travel
Robert Mcbride & Co.
"a Anita Brenner's your Mexi-
can Holiday; illustrated by Carlos
Merida. Valuable chapters on shop
ping and fiestas. G. P. Putnam's
60 George w. Seaton's What to
(5) George w. Seaton's What to
Do in Mexico" Conveniently pre-
sented in nine travel zones. Prem
tice Hall, Inc.
60 General background-Carlton
Beals' THE Coming Struggle for
Latin America" Not new, but valu-
able for understanding competitive
cultures. J. B. Lippincott Co.
CD Henry B. Parkes' "a History
of Mexico" of which has been said:
1T gives a better general, popular
account of the history of the Mexi-
can Republic than exists anywhere
in English print" Houghton Miffiin
Co.
go Frank Tannenbaum' Peace
by Revolution; Illustrated by Miguel
Covarrubias. Columbia University
Press.
80 Life-Erna Fergusons Fiesta
in Mexico; illustrated by Valentin
Vidaurretta. Pictures native cele-
brations. Knopf.
QO J. B. Trends "Mexico-A
New Spain With Old Friends" A
guidebook to the spirit of Mexico;
full of flavor, and new. Macmillan.
1D Carleton Beals' Mexican
Maze; illustrated by Diego Rivera.
Fast-moving realism In social and
economic struggles. j. B. Lippen-
colt Co.
Q2) Todd Downings THE Mex
ican Earth" History and living
spirit. Doubleday, Doran & Co.
Q3) Charles Flandrau's Viva
Mexico" Still widely read after 20
years. Appleton.
14 Stewart Chase's Mexico: A
Study of Two Americas; illustrated
by Diego Rivera. Economic systems
contrasted. The Macmillan Co.
Q5) OF people-"Life in Mexico"
by Frances Erskine Calderon de Ia
Barca. Informative and charming
letters by the wife of the first Span
ish Ambassador to Mexico after the
War of Independence. E. P. Dutton.
16) Rosa E. Kings Tempest
Over Mexico" Drama through 10
years of revolution.
I'D Fiction ID. H. Lawrence's
The Plumed Serpent" The spirit
of Mexico. Knopf
Q8) Mariana Azuela's Under
dogs; illustrated by Jose Clementa
Orozco. Story of revolution. Bren-
tano.
QV The arts-AuguStin Velazquez
Chavezs Contemporary Mexican
Artists" Art and artists since 1880,
illustrated by representative works.
Covici-Friede.
600 The Conquistadores-William
Hickling Prescott's The Conquest of
Mexico" A classic.
X II
The risks of selecting five books
from these worthwhile 20 are great,
for such a choice may play hob with
special leanings Of the traveller, such
as art or history. The choice of
second guidebook (the first and
must" being Terry'S would depend
largely on whether the traveller Is to
make a conducted tour, with set
itinerary, or travel independently in
whichever direction the spirit moves.
A second guidebook is recommended,
with Anita Brenner's your Mexican
Holiday" perhaps the best for gen.
eral use.
Frightening the scene and inspir-
ing pleasure travel to Mexico are the
fiestas. So one should include Erna
Ferguson's Fiesta in Mexico" which
tells vivaciously and colorfully of the
various celebrations. Also In the
classification of life" is j. B. Trends
''Mexico-A New Spain With Old
Friends" Fifth, for background, is
Henry B. Parkes' "A History of
Mexico"
To keep the list to five books and
expand the choice of reading, the
prospective traveller to Mexico might
wish to eliminate the second guide
book and substitute fiction or art. In
this case is recommended either
Lawrence's THE Plumed Serpent" or