Collection
Publication
Penguin Books (1997), Edition: Reprint, 144 pages
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. HTML: Originally published in serialized form in a border-town newspaper, Mariano Azuela's The Underdogs is a gripping tale that recounts the personal and political havoc that surrounded the Mexican Revolution. Equal parts action-packed war novel and philosophical meditation on the costs of conflict, The Underdogs is a must-read for fans of historical fiction or Hispanic literature buffs..
User reviews
LibraryThing member paisley1
not great, but a classic.
points out the pointlessness and lack of justice in revolutionary violence. this is an important book in Mexican history but it is not "good."
points out the pointlessness and lack of justice in revolutionary violence. this is an important book in Mexican history but it is not "good."
LibraryThing member heinous-eli
More miserable and depressing than compelling, the main value of this book is in its status and message.
LibraryThing member FPdC
This book in the classic novel of the Mexican Revolution. Azuela was himself a physician with one of the factions in the revolution, and this book projects some of the hopes and disenchantments he may have experienced. Following the travels and actions of a small group of men, commanded by a
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Demetrio Macías, the book portraits a world of simple men animated by an ingenuous hope in a better and freer future, but also the progressive brutalization and anarchization of the struggle until their destruction in an unglorious final fight. A superb novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member soylentgreen23
If one were to forget the plot of this interminable book, one might well wonder what it is doing on the 1001 Books list; the prose is leaden - at least in my translation it was - and the machismo drips from every paragraph. What it does well is to show the tragedy of a revolution that eats itself,
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which in Mexico was surely the case. Otherwise - this was a real struggle to get through. Show Less
LibraryThing member sometimeunderwater
Enjoyable, but bleak. Every character is selfish, most are greedy, and a few are just bloodythirsty thugs. There's no dignity to these fighters, and no ideals behind their killing. A tragic, unsympathetic book.
LibraryThing member BenKline
An interesting and very quick (three page chapters, three parts, a few pictures, each chapter page is a half-page, the parts have a blank page, about 10 chapters per part), and easy read. A few things are lost in the translation I do believe and get mixed up, and I'm not fantastic on Mexican
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geography (especially of the 1900s era) - so the directions/locations are a bit confusing but ultimately trivial as far as the novel goes. More of a character study of those fighting the Revolution in Mexico than a truer depiction of the war/Revolution (despite what the introduction by Ana Castillo would lead you to believe). The pacing due to the quick easy chapters makes things go briskly and things aren't given the full credence they deserve at times; be it for effect or just how it is. Enjoyable and probably more meaningful to those of the area/culture than myself, but still a good novel. Show Less
LibraryThing member Dreesie
An interesting novel that isn't completely novel-like, this would be such an interesting book to read in a class on Mexican history or literature.
Demetrio Macias, who becomes a general amongst the rebels, really joined because he had to. He would rather be at home on his farm with his wife and
Demetrio Macias, who becomes a general amongst the rebels, really joined because he had to. He would rather be at home on his farm with his wife and
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child. But he turns out to be a decent military leader. But with continual losses among the rebels, the constantly changing leadership, to looting of even the poor by his ill-disciplined troops (men just like him, for the most part), and the female hangers-on (often essentially kidnapped by the men)--he is losing control, and losing patience, and wondering what they are really hoping to accomplish. Show Less
LibraryThing member mattries37315
Anyone who has learned anything about the Mexican Revolution knows that it was a complicated era in that nation’s history that just seemed to continue without end. The Underdogs was the first novel about the conflict even as it continued to grind on and written by a former participant Mariano
The majority of the narrative follows Demetrio Macias, who finds himself on the bad side of the local chief and is burned out of his home before feeling to the mountains. Gathering his friends, Macias begins battling the Federales becoming a local then regional military leader. Joining with a growing Villista army around Zacatecas, Macias and his men achieve a remarkable feat during the battle that leads to victory and a promotion of Macias to general. The main reason Macias journeys to Zacatecas is an idealistic Federales deserter, Luis Cervantes, who conveniences the leader to join the growing Villista force. But after the battle, both men become disillusioned with the overall Revolution leading to simply leaving—Cervantes—for the United States or just keep fighting until the odds become too much—Macias.
This relatively short, well-written, yet seemingly disjointed narrative is considered the greatest novel of the Mexican Revolution because of this final aspect. Although this was Azuela’s first novel, it reads very well—in translation—and gives someone not interested in history a little knowledge about the defining moment in Mexican history if only in a brief glimpse.
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Azuela.The majority of the narrative follows Demetrio Macias, who finds himself on the bad side of the local chief and is burned out of his home before feeling to the mountains. Gathering his friends, Macias begins battling the Federales becoming a local then regional military leader. Joining with a growing Villista army around Zacatecas, Macias and his men achieve a remarkable feat during the battle that leads to victory and a promotion of Macias to general. The main reason Macias journeys to Zacatecas is an idealistic Federales deserter, Luis Cervantes, who conveniences the leader to join the growing Villista force. But after the battle, both men become disillusioned with the overall Revolution leading to simply leaving—Cervantes—for the United States or just keep fighting until the odds become too much—Macias.
This relatively short, well-written, yet seemingly disjointed narrative is considered the greatest novel of the Mexican Revolution because of this final aspect. Although this was Azuela’s first novel, it reads very well—in translation—and gives someone not interested in history a little knowledge about the defining moment in Mexican history if only in a brief glimpse.
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LibraryThing member encephalical
Read the Sergio Waismam translation -- found things like "ya're" to be a bit awkward. Now I'm curious about the actual usage. Inspiring me to learn more of Mexico's history.
LibraryThing member justagirlwithabook
I had to read this one to teach it to sophomores for required reading in English. I was hoping for it to be good but it didn't turn out how I'd hoped. It was just alright. It definitely does provided a different perspective to the Mexican Revolution but I don't think I'll be rereading it.
LibraryThing member Kristelh
Underdogs is the story of the Mexican Revolution. The story was set in Mexico and tells the story of the revolution from the native of Mexico's perspective and the land that belonged to them and the peasants right to fight back against the oppressive Spanish conquerors. The nationality of the
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author is Mexican. Mariano Azuela Gonzalez was a Mexican author and a physician. According to Wikipedia, he is the first of the novelists of the Revolution and he influence author novelists of social protest. He actually was a part of the Mexican revolution. I felt that the fact that the author was a physician was evident in the book. He gave details of wounds, injuries and health care that might not otherwise been included in a story like this. The author actually participated in the revolution as a physician in the army of Pancho Villa. The book certainly presents the reality of war and revolution. Los de Abajo (the title) which means the lowest of low, can't get any lower. The purpose of a revolution is to reject the identity of the colonizer (or at least the Mexican revolution) which I think is different from the American revolution. The revolutionists in the US were part of the colonizers. To be the underdog made the revolution even more precarious. In the book, the author shows that Demetrio may care more about the revolution that he does his people and land, thus they march into towns destroying homes of the peasants, stealing from the peasants and engage in looting, drunkenness, debauchery. This behavior would certainly weakened the chances for success. The author received the Mexican National Prize for Literature in 1942 and in 1943 he became a founding member of Mexico's National College. The author received the Mexican National Prize of Arts and Sciences in 1949. Show Less
LibraryThing member Castlelass
“I love the revolution like a volcano in eruption; I love the volcano because it’s a volcano, the revolution because it’s the revolution! What do I care about the stones left above or below after the cataclysm? What are they to me?”
Set in 1910-1915, this story follows protagonist Demetrio
My favorite part is the way the author portrays the mental and behavioral changes exhibited by the outcasts. It portrays how the oppressed become the oppressors. The novel feels rather fragmented, which could be due to the translation. Published in 1916, it is short and worth reading solely for the historical context and the fact that the author experienced the Mexican Revolution first-hand.
Set in 1910-1915, this story follows protagonist Demetrio
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Macías, a peasant who becomes involved in the Mexican Revolution after a disagreement with a local landowner. He forms and leads a band of outcasts as they travel the country, committing random acts of violence in support of the cause. They do not seem to understand exactly what or for whom they are fighting. Pancho Villa and other historic figures are mentioned but are not the focus. My favorite part is the way the author portrays the mental and behavioral changes exhibited by the outcasts. It portrays how the oppressed become the oppressors. The novel feels rather fragmented, which could be due to the translation. Published in 1916, it is short and worth reading solely for the historical context and the fact that the author experienced the Mexican Revolution first-hand.
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ISBN
0140266216 / 9780140266214