Mexico
Foreign Book
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Las batallas en el desierto (or Battles in the Desert ) is a short novel written by José Emilio Pacheco, a famous Mexican poet and essayist. This is perhaps his most famous work to date. Pacheco, who has been given numerous awards throughout his career, is part of the so-called “50s Generation,” along with several other famous Mexican artists who were influenced by the social changes of the time.

"These years revealed a lot about Mexican culture and its foundations, which were put in jeopardy by the introduction of the American way of life."

Battles in the Desert has transcended its genre and gained wide recognition inside the country. It has even been adapted into a song by Café Tacvba, called “Las batallas,” and into a film by Alberto Isaac, Mariana, Mariana . The novel has proved to be of such importance that, in 2011, the Secretariat for Public Education published an edition meant for free distribution in public schools. It tells the story of Carlos, a young boy living in Mexico City during 1948. This was a time of political and cultural upheaval, when new products and technologies were being imported from the USA. We read about his everyday life with his family, friends, and school companions, and about how he falls in love with the young, beautiful Mariana, the mother of his best friend Jim.

Through the eyes of Carlos, Pacheco represents an era that helped establish modern Mexico, when the political and social status quo was completely transformed. These years revealed a lot about Mexican culture and its foundations, which were put in jeopardy by the introduction of the American way of life. Most of what Carlos sees is new to him, including simple things like soda bottles, television, ketchup, and even sandwiches. Besides these socio-political issues,Las batallas en el desierto is also a beautiful personal story about the discovery of love and about misunderstanding and loss. The tale of Carlos is as touching as it is tragic.

"It invites readers to look into the life of the protagonist and into the country he lives in."

With its 62 pages, this is a very accessible novel. It invites readers to look into the life of the protagonist and into the country he lives in. The prose is devoid of complex slang or obscure terms, outside of some common curse words like “pendejo” (the equivalent of “asshole”) or “cabrón” (which means “bastard”). Both terms are examples of common expletives used by young people and help lend the book a strong sense of reality. The language is very simple, since the story is narrated by the protagonist after the events have taken place, and it reads like a friend recalling past events in his life and telling them to the reader. Thus, the prose should not present much of a problem for those getting used to Spanish.