Collection
Publication
Beacon Pr (1992), Edition: Expanded, Updated, Subsequent, 187 pages
Description
For hundreds of years, the history of the conquest of Mexico and the defeat of the Aztecs has been told in the words of the Spanish victors. Miguel Leo n-Portilla has long been at the forefront of expanding that history to include the voices of indigenous peoples. In this new and updated edition of his classic? The Broken Spears, Leo n-Portilla has included accounts from native Aztec descendants across the centuries. These texts bear witness to the extraordinary vitality of an oral tradition that preserves the viewpoints of the vanquished instead of the victors. Leo n-Portilla's new Postscript reflects upon the critical importance of these unexpected historical accounts.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Mrs.Stansbury
I enjoyed reading the Aztec account of the colonization of Colonial Mexico. The book is a translation of Nahuatl writings. See- the Spanish provided an alphabet which the Aztecs did not have prior to Spanish arrival and then the Aztecs applied the alphabet to their native Nahuatl language and began
Show More
writing. The only concern a reader should have is accuracy- the documents of the account were written 10 years and more after the fact. A tip when reading: start with Chapter 14 which summarizes all the events, then read Chapters 1 - 13 which elaborate on events in detail, and finally conclude with chapters 15 - 16. I highly recommend this book for anyone studying Colonial Mexico History or persons who want to know more about Aztecs and their culture. Show Less
LibraryThing member jcvogan1
A worthwhile attempt at creating an Aztec narrative of the Conquest, but since the sources are all Spanish or oral the book is trying to be something that can't exist.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1959
Physical description
187 p.; 8.5 inches
ISBN
0807055018 / 9780807055014
UPC
046442055017