The Death of Artemio Cruz: A Novel

Book Description

Hailed as a masterpiece since its publication in 1962, The Death of Artemio Cruz is Carlos Fuentes's haunting voyage into the soul of modern Mexico. Its acknowledged place in Latin American fiction and its appeal to a fresh generation of readers have warranted this new translation by Alfred Mac Adam, translator (with the author) of Fuentes's Christopher Unborn.

As in all his fiction, but perhaps most powerfully in this book, Fuentes is a passionate guide to the ironies of Mexican history, the burden of its past, and the anguish of its present.

Customer Reviews:

The out-of-print version is BETTER.......2006-04-14

If you love literature then let me suggest that you purchase the "out-of-print" translation from one of the third party sellers. I read this book in a class and half the class read the older translation, the other half the new one. We voted hands down for the older translation. The new translation is good, but it simplifies a lot of the text and is mising the flair and use of complex figurative language of the older version.

Make it Work for You.......2004-12-13

The book was beautifully written, the plot was interesting, and the character development went above and beyond most books.

So why is there such controversy over this book? Well it is easy to say, this is not your cruise vacation book to read while laying by the beach. The first chapter will have you kicking and screaming for anything tangible to grab onto. The only person in this book you have to guide you is Artemio Cruz, who is sharing with you his memories. However, he isn't always the most stable guide. Half the book he is on his deathbed rambling, switching tenses and narratives.

So that is the first warning. However if you are willing to invest some time, you can find an entire new meaning to life within this book. If you can't invest the time, go out and rent Citizen Kane, you'll get the gist in about two hours, rather then the month minimum you'll need to get this book. Even after rereading it, the book leaves dozens of pieces in the book isolated and unconnected. (In fact we never how Artemio gets from being 13 to 23, and if you read the book you'll know why this is important and frustrating).

So what does this book have to offer besides several headaches and why in the world did I give it five stars? Well I could throw a lot of pretty adjectives out at you, but I won't. I will tell it to you simply. This book makes you think. And not in the painful way. If you fight this book, you will never get it. If you embrace it, even in it's most challenging passages, you will be opened to a whole new world of ideas. Ideas about memory, desire, life, death, and our place within society are embedded in this story.

Bottom line: This story is like an excavation site waiting to be dug up, hidden with endless treasures. If you are willing to put in the time, you won't be disappointed. If that sounds like too much work, move right along then.

The Death of Artemio Cruz.......2004-11-20

Artemio Cruz owns a vast empire in Mexico, encompassing newspapers, land, construction and more. He has a beautiful wife and daughter, both of whom he cannot stand, nor they him. His aide, Padilla, a man he trusts with his empire, and one he has grown to love as the son he lost so many years ago. He is so important, so respected, so necessary to the Mexican country that the President tries to impress him, rather than the other way around. But Artemio Cruz is dying, painfully and slowly, and it is while dying that he has a chance to evaluate his life, to take a good look at himself and what he has achieved.

Cruz is a complicated man. As a youth, he fought in the various, chaotic revolutions and counter-revolutions that periodically caused Mexico to cease functioning as a nation, becoming little more than a series of loosely connected fiefdoms. Using his intelligence and daring, he was able to secure a command in the fight against Pancho Villa, but more importantly, he also knew when to leave the life of a soldier for a more solid existence. As a young man, he met Regina, the woman he was to love until his dying day.

As an older man, he is respected and influential, but also cold and distant. Gone are the passionate, poorly thought-out heroics of his early adulthood. He no longer loves like it doesn't matter, or cares much for the reality of another person. At his annual New Year's party, Cruz retires early to a comfortable leather chair positioned so he can watch everyone else have fun. The unspoken rules of the party forbids guests to talk to him at all, other than to pay their respects. His wife lives in another city, and a prostitute shares his bed this night, as she has every other night for the past eight years.

The three technique Fuentes uses in painting Cruz's life are quite interesting. In the present of the novel, when Cruz is dying, the narration is first person, disjointed, and very, very personal. No physical details are omitted, no matter how disgusting. Thoughts are fragmented, jumping from place to place, from time to time. The first few instances of this are difficult to follow, because we do not yet know Cruz's life, but as the novel progresses, the chaotic mental ramblings of the present become clearer, if not for Cruz but for us.

The second stylistic method used are the second person sections. These are generally short, but are the harshest and most self-critical. It is as though Cruz has stepped back from himself, created a 'you' for him to pour forth his bile, resentment, anger and also satisfaction about himself and his own life. These sections are just as personal as the first-person chapters, but in an emotional sense. He probes at the reasons he did this, or why he would think that. These sections are almost entirely devoid of other characters, it is simply Cruz with himself, condemning and praising, remembering and trying to forget.

The third - and most plentiful - type of chapters are in third person, dated, and taken from various times throughout his life. It is here we learn of Regina, here we learn why the phrase, 'We crossed the river on horseback' is so important, why his wife hates him, and more. In these sections, we are almost never shown his thoughts, nor those of anybody else. They are very detached, expositionary scenes, helping to explain the intimate thoughts and ramblings of the second- and first-person chapters.

Towards the end of the narrative, as Artemio Cruz approaches his death, the 'you' and the 'I' narratives start to merge, fuzzing and growing indistinct. He rails against himself, then defends his decisions over the years, then praises himself for the love he has, even now, for Regina. The sections - interspersing the 'you' and 'I' and even 'he' of Cruz within the space of four sentences - could be confusing if done earlier, but because we are familiar with his life and thoughts, they make sense. There are pages long sequences of broken thoughts, flitting between time and place without warning or explanation, and surprisingly, these are effective and do not come across at all as a gimmick. Rather, it is the character of Cruz - presented elsewhere as so strong and stable when old, so mercurial and romantic when young - breaking apart, unable to accept his death, unwilling to leave his life, even if it will mean re-uniting with Regina.

In the end, what we have is a character study. The setting - early 20th century Mexico - is rich and colourful, although at times, it does fade into the background as Artemio Cruz's character takes over. This is by no means a negative, as Cruz is a wonderful diverse man. He has weaknesses and strengths, and the novel spends as much time of his flaws as it does on his achievements. It is a credit to Fuentes that the vibrancy of Mexico shines through in what is, primarily, a journey through the mind of a proud man, a lonely man, a dying man: Artemio Cruz.

Excellent.......2004-07-10

The book truly is a beautiful piece of literature. As with any book of its stature, one must force themself to look past the plot-- an attempt to do so will end in frustration and ambivalence. The book examines the complex life of a corrupt Mexican elite during the time of revolution. However, it does not attempt to create sympathy for Artemio but rather casts a great critique on the overall mechanisms of judgement. The book is very honest, and Fuentes does not hesitate to confuse the reader.

The reader below who says the book made him realize his taste is better than that of his professors is obviously trapped in adolescent frustration and ignoring the intent of the novel. Do not read this for plot. Although at times the action is exciting and suspenseful, any attempt to read for plot will result in confusion and frustration. The book is not easy to read. Ultimately, however, the experience proves to be more than worthwhile.

Cannot but make the judicious grieve.......2003-12-15

When a writer starts a story in the first person, switches to the second person and finally to the third person, I usually get annoyed and stop reading. But when it's on a list of books you have to read and are going to be tested on, you keep going, more and more convinced of the stupidity of those professors in Spanish departments all over the USA who keep it on their reading lists and thus save it from the oblivion it so richly deserves and will soon attain.

I give "Artemio Cruz" two stars only because reading it proved to me that my taste is better than that of my professors.

And for those who think that the fault may lie in the translation, I can assure you that the original is just as bad, if not worse.

Book Description

Writers and historians have traditionally portrayed Chinese immigrants in the nineteenth-century American West as victims. By investigating the early history of Idaho's Boise Basin, Liping Zhu challenges this image and offers an alternative discourse to the study of this ethnic minority.

Between 1863 and 1910, a large number of Chinese immigrants resided in the Boise Basin to search for gold. As in many Rocky Mountain mining camps, they comprised a majority of the population. Unlike settlers in many other boom-and-bust western mining towns, the Chinese in the Boise Basin managed to stay there for more than half a century.

Thus, the Chinese portrayed all the stereotypical frontier roles-victors, victims, and villains. Their basic material needs were guaranteed, and many individuals were able to climb up the economic ladder. Frontier justice was used to settle disputes; Chinese-Americans frequently challenged white opponents in the various courts as well as in gun battles.

Interesting and provocative, A Chinaman's Chance not only offers general readers a narrative account of the Rocky Mountain mining frontier, but also introduces a fresh interpretation of the Chinese experience in nineteenth-century America to scholars interested in Asian American studies, immigration history, and ethnicity in the American West.

Customer Reviews:

This book will open your eyes!!!.......2002-04-03

I strongly recommend this book. It is about time that someone wrote a book about the virtues of the Chinese people living in the western U.S. during the 19th century. Most similar books concentrate on the discrimination and other injustices done to the Chinese workers who worked on the railroads, for example.

"A Chinaman's Chance," however, focuses on the positive Chinese experiences. Did you know that the Chinese had superior eating habits and work ethics? Hidong Sidong was the first Chinese man to lead an asian hiking expedition in the 19th century. Did you know that? Do you know who invented Rocky Mountain oyster stew?

I strongly recommend this book.

An innovative, pathbreaking work on the Chinese in America........1999-06-12

Recent scholars have begun to examine the impact of the ethnic experience in the American West unlike ever before. Most have concluded that ethnic immigrants have had little opportunity for advancement in the United States. Professor Zhu counters this arguement with his pathbreaking work, A CHINAMAN'S CHANCE, THE CHINESE ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN MINING FRONTIER. Rather than depicting the Chinese as helpless victims, unable to fend for themselves in a new land, the author demonstrates that not all immigrants allowed themselves to be victims. Using the American legal system, armed opposition, frugal economy, a superior diet, and adaptation to the environment, the Chinese of the Boise Basin, Idaho displayed a resilency hardly matched by European immigrants and even American migrants to the Rocky Mountain West.

This study is a must-read for students of the American West and Frontier and those interested in ethnic history in Victorian American. His research is impeccable, his writing witty, and his commitment to telling a real, even compelling story is unprecedented in ethnic history.

A CHINAMAN'S CHANCE is outstanding history!

New interpretation.......1999-06-06

A well researched and written book. I used to live in Idaho and heard of a lot of stories about the Chinese experience in the area. But this book gives me new imformation. We do have to pay more attention to positive aspects of ethnic minorities. I enjoy reading this book.

This book is about the exception to the rule........1999-05-08

This is a clearly-written and well-researched case study about nineteenth-century Chinese immigrants who come to Idaho in search of mineral wealth. Rather than focus on racial discrimination and violence, Professor Zhu makes the case that while there were problems, there were also opportunities. In telling this neglected story of success and achievement, the author reveals a more complicated picture of the Chinese experience on the western frontier.

Not impressed........1999-04-25

Lacks something. Disconnected anecdotes and stories. Doesn't present a whole picture of what went on here. I don't agree with some of the conclusions.

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable, but Not the Masterpiece I expected
Laugh out loud funny
The ultimate Los Angeles caper novel
The Best Of "Wu & Durant"....
Chinaman's Chance

Chinaman's Chance
Ross Thomas
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312334141
Release Date: 2004-12-09

Book Description

"It was while jogging along the beach just east of the Paradise Cove pier that Artie Wu tripped over a dead pelican, fell, and met the man with six greyhounds." from Chinaman's ChanceThus begins what may be the most popular of Ross Thomas's unique stories. The combination of Wu, pretender to the Imperial throne of China, and Quincy Durant, who has his own colorful past, makes for a heady experience. After starting with the deceased pelican on a California beach, the plot mixes in the disappearance of a large sum of money that should have been buried in Vietnam, and the search for the missing member of a trio of singing sisters from the Ozarks. Only Thomas could have stirred this concoction with the style, humor, and suspense that captures the reader at the very beginning and doesn't let go until the last word.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable, but Not the Masterpiece I expected.......2007-03-01

I've heard a lot about Ross Thomas, who is considered by many people to be one of the most underrated thriller novelists out there. Thomas died in 1995, and most of his books are either out of print or difficult to find. Many people consider CHINAMAN'S CHANCE to be Thomas' best novel, so I thought I would give it a shot.

In short, I liked this book but didn't love it. This is a book brimming with wit and intelligence. It was obviously written by a highly intelligent, perceptive man -- Thomas is a highly skilled wordsmith. However, I found the plot remarkably convoluted. The blurb from the NEW YORKER for this book states that CHINAMAN'S CHANCE has "enough plot to overwhelm a trilogy" and I agree with that statement. Unfortunately, too much plot is not necessarily such a good thing. I ultimately found the storyline confusing and the twist-filled ending kind of ridiculous.

Also, there are too many colorful characters in this novel to keep track of. Every couple of pages, Thomas changes the point of view. Virtually every character is eccentric and over-the-top. This can be fun, but I thought it was overdone here. There was no one in this book I related to, and I never found myself emotionally invested in the storyline.

In the end, CHINAMAN'S CHANCE is okay if you like witty, humorous caper novels. But if you're looking for a book with genuine thrills and characters you genuinely care about, you may want to look for something else.

Laugh out loud funny.......2007-02-20

I really enjoy a well-written book that makes me laugh out loud, and this book is certinly that type. Right from the beginning the plot ensnares you, and you just go along with all of the strange and loony doings of the extremely well-drawn characters. The author plays fair with the reader: there are no hidden shocks that change the ending, or plotlines left unconnected at the end. It's unfortunate Mr. Thomas is deceased, for more new books from him would be quite welcome in my house!

The ultimate Los Angeles caper novel.......2006-01-26

This was the first of Thomas' Wu and Durant novels, and in my opinion, the best. Two things make this novel memorable. First, there is the remarkable array of supporting characters, many of them sleazebags, most of them bizarre, all of them memorable. Second, at some level, Los Angeles is the main character, especially the South Bay. Thomas' descriptions of the cities, the neighborhoods, buildings, the marginal businesses, are absolute gems. I have spent a great deal of time trying to match the places, especially the coastal cities, to actual locations in Los Angeles, without much success, but who cares. I don't know if the Los Angeles he described ever really existed, but it should have.

The Best Of "Wu & Durant"...........2003-05-10

Of the Ross Thomas books containing the Wu & Durant characters, this one is arguably the best. A great story with twists and turns that keep the pages turning with very little effort.
The characters are so well developed only a photograph would offer any more insight. If a picture is worth a thousand words, Thomas has the ability to modify that statement to paint a picture using very little wordage. If your a Thomas fan this book shoud definitley be high on your list of "next" reads.

Chinaman's Chance.......2002-09-10

I happened upon Ross Thomas by chance and not design. As my local library had only Out on the Rim and The Fourth Durango on its shelves, I read them first. I was hooked. Through the library's inter- library loan program I have now read from Cold War Swap through Chinaman's Chance. I'm only 50 and admittedly have a lot of reading ahead of me but I can not remember enjoying reading someone's work as much as I do reading Ross Thomas. I cannot imagine that he will ever be out of my top 10 favorites.

3 Titles By Ross Thomas : The Fools in Town Are On Our Side Chinaman's Chance Twilight at Mac's Place

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3 Titles By Ross Thomas : The Fools in Town Are On Our Side Chinaman's Chance Twilight at Mac's Place
Ross Thomas
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000PDHKIM

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three mmpb books. 3 Titles By Ross Thomas : The Fools in Town Are On Our Side Chinaman's Chance Twilight at Mac's Place

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CHINAMAN'S CHANCE

Manufacturer: Mysterious Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GQI6AO

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Chinaman's Chance
Ross Thomas
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OCROR6

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Chinaman's Chance
Ross Thomas
Manufacturer: Simon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0241898536

Average customer rating:

foul language

Chinaman's Chance
Ross Thomas
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000MVDCJ8

Customer Reviews:

foul language.......2007-09-24

I chose to stop reading the book due to the wide usage of foul language.

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Chinaman's Chance
No-Yong Park
Manufacturer: Meador Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PHIFL4

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Chinaman's chance
No-yong Park
Manufacturer: Meador Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007EG8TG

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Chinaman's Chance (Linford Mystery)
Harry J. Greenwald
Manufacturer: Ulverscroft Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0708994415

Book Description

*A fantasy drama appealing to readers of Dragon Knights and *Sorcerer Hunters.

After discovering out Merlin's true colors, Kok-Jung is on a quest for revenge, and he'll destroy Merlin's most precious commodity... The Philosopher's Stone! After breaking the stone, Kok-Jung is faced with having Siegfried's Dragon hot on his tail all the way back to his homeland. Can Seur-Chong and the others control the dragon's wrath and bring forth the demise of Merlin?

Book Description

Healing Your Emotional Self

"Emotionally abusive parents are indeed toxic parents, and they cause significant damage to their children's self-esteem, self-image, and body image. In this remarkable book, Beverly Engel shares her powerful Mirror Therapy program for helping adult survivors to overcome their shame and self-criticism, become more compassionate and accepting of themselves, and create a more posititve self-image. I strongly recommend it for anyone who was abused or neglected as a child."
—Susan Forward, Ph.D., author of Toxic Parents

"In this book, Beverly Engel documents the wide range of psychological abuses that so many children experience in growing up. Her case examples and personal accounts are poignant and powerful reminders that as adults, many of us are still limited by the defenses we formed when trying to protect ourselves in the face of the painful circumstances we found ourselves in as children. Engle's insightful questionnaires and exercises provide concrete help in the healing process, and her writing style is lively and engaging. This book is destined to positively affect many lives."
—Joyce Catlett, M.A., coauthor of Fear of Intimacy

The Emotionally Abusive Relationship

"Beverly Engel clearly and with caring offers step-by-step strategies to stop emotional abuse . . . helping both victims and abusers to identify the patterns of this painful and traumatic type of abuse."
—Marti Tamm Loring, Ph.D., author of Emotional Abuse

Loving Him without Losing You

"A powerful and practical guide to relationships that every woman should read."
—Barbara De Angelis, Ph.D., author of Are You the One for Me?

Download Description

A comprehensive self-help plan Those who were emotionally abused or neglected in childhood tend to suffer from self-criticism, low self-esteem, self-doubt, a poor body image, perfectionism, and unhealthy shame. Now renowned psychotherapist Beverly Engel presents a psychologically sound, step-by-step program to help adult survivors heal the damage to their self-image caused by negative parental messages and treatment. Healing Your Emotional Self shows readers how to become reunited with their true self, quiet their inner critic, raise their self-esteem, and begin to love their body. Engel also teaches survivors how to separate emotionally from their parents and provide for themselves what they missed as a child. Beverly Engel (Los Osos, CA), a psychotherapist for over 28 years, is the author of many successful self-help books, including The Emotionally Abusive Relationship (0-471-45403-6) and Loving Him without Losing You (0-471-40979-0).

Customer Reviews:

excellent book to help you heal.......2007-09-09

Beverly Engel is quickly becoming one of my favorite self-help book writers. This is her newest book, and a must read for anyone who was abused or who had a difficult childhood. Beverly Engel describes the various negative parental mirrors and how they effect children, and how these negative thoughts and beliefs about the self are carried into adulthood. She also provides are powerful step by step program (including journal writing) to help you move through your feelings, coming out the other side with a renewed sense of hope and with new tools to use for the furture. This may also be good for anyone who is harsh and critical of his/herself and would like some tools to be kinder to him/herself. Very validating and empowering book.

A must read for all women.......2007-06-13

This is geared toward abuse survivors of varying kinds. But I think it is a must read for all women...for women who have lost themselves in motherhood, in their job, in their spouses. Her writing style is easy to follow and not condescending. The exercises in the book are thought -provoking and insightful.

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