The Buried Mirror: Reflections on Spain and the New World

Carlos Fuentes wrote this book to mark the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's "discovery" of the New World. That was the pretext, at any rate. One senses, however, that his real purpose was to emphasize the shared culture of Spanish Americans and from there to argue for "a comparable economic and political identity". Whatever the underlying purpose, THE BURIED MIRROR is a fine overview of the history and culture of Spain and Latin America. It is marked most by Fuentes's superb narrative skills and his passion, which make the book invigorating as well as instructive.Fuentes actually provides two histories. One is of Spain, going back to the pre-Roman Iberians, continuing through the Muslim occupation and the Reconquest, then from Ferdinand and Isabella through the decades when the Spanish monarchy presided over one of the greatest (and richest) empires in world history, and finally the protracted fading out of Spain as a player on the world stage. The other history, of course, is of Latin America, going back to the Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs, then proceeding to the Spanish conquest and the centuries of economic exploitation, and then the meteoric two decades of the wars of independence, followed by nearly two centuries of alternating hopes and disappointments. In his discussion of Spanish America since the overthrow of Spain, Fuentes focuses much more on Argentina and Mexico than any other countries.There are some superb narrative passages. One such is Fuentes's account of the Spanish Armada, in which the novelist's skills are at the fore. And several of his discussions of cultural landmarks are keenly insightful, especially that concerning Cervantes and "Don Quixote de la Mancha".The book is sprinkled with many idiosyncratic opinions of the author. For example, he writes: "Capitalism and socialism have both failed in Latin America because of our inability to distinguish and strengthen our own tradition, which is authentically Iberian and not derivatively Anglo-American or Marxist." Along the same lines: "[T]he fear of being ourselves drove us to be something else, whether French, North American, or English." Sometimes I sense that he has gotten out on a limb with few if any other historians or cultural critics for company. And on occasion he gets his facts plumb wrong. For example, he states that the American war against Mexico "was opposed by a lone representative in the United States Congress, Abraham Lincoln." (In point of fact, fourteen Representatives and two Senators voted against "Polk's War".) Moreover, as an historian, Fuentes is not rigorous nor is he always consistent. Still, the virtues of the book far outweigh its flaws and errors.One of those virtues is the copious illustrations, many in well-reproduced color. There also are five charts or genealogies of the monarchs of Spain, a better depiction of the material than several scholarly books I have on Spanish history. Even more valuable are the nineteen pages that compose an annotated list of "Sources and Readings".Paramount is Fuentes's plea for Latin Americans to be inclusive: "We are Indian, black, European, but above all mixed, mestizo. We are Iberian and Greek, Roman and Jewish, Arab, Gothic, and Gypsy. Spain and the New World are centers where multiple cultures meet - centers of incorporation, not of exclusion. When we exclude, we betray ourselves. When we include, we find ourselves." (One significant group of people that Fuentes, curiously, omits from that quote and the book as a whole are Asians, tens of thousands of whom began coming to New Spain as sailors, workers, and slaves as early as 1565.)

This book is the English translation of El Espejo Enterrado, by Mexican writer and diplomat Carlos Fuentes. It consists of 399 pages divided into 5 parts and 18 chapters which describe the history of the Spanish speaking people from their Cretan and Greek roots, through their development during the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Imperial Period, all the way to modern Spain and South America.The book also includes 5 two page tables titled The Monarchs of Spain and showing detailed genealogical information on the families that ruled Spain from 970 ad to the beginning of the 20th century (not included in the Spanish version published by Taurus-Bolsillo 1992), as well as a large number of beautiful black and white and color illustrations (also not included the Spanish version published by Taurus-Bolsillo 1992). I missed such information, when reading the Spanish version, particularly the illustrations, because the author refers to them in the text, often with very detailed descriptions.The book ends with the credits, acknowledgements, and index.El Espejo Enterrado is listed as an essay, although it probably should be classified as a history book. Yet it is more than that, because Carlos Fuentes is more than an essayer or a historian. He is a multifaceted artist who sees and describes reality in a more comprehensive as well as captivating manner than the average essayer or historian would. Hence he does not just give the description of the events that shaped the history of the Spanish speaking people, he makes them interesting, he makes the reader want to learn more. For example, by discussing the individuals whose thoughts and actions influenced the decisions of the Spanish speaking people (e.g., Jean Jacques Rousseau and Napoleon); by relating the major world events from which those related to the Spanish speaking people developed (e.g., the Renaissance, the French Revolution, the American Revolution); or by describing the works of some of the major Spanish speaking artists (e.g., Don Quixote, La Vida Es Sueno, Las Meninas, La Maja Desnuda). Hence with this book, you will learn more than the history of the Spanish speaking people, you will meet some of the great thinkers of the Western world, you will be reminded of the history of the Western world, you will learn about the products of the most illuminated minds of the Spanish speaking world. You will also discover about many word origins, (how many among you reading this review know the meaning of the word Saragoza, the origin of the name Malinche, the identity of the woman from whom California got its name, the reason why the Mexicans call the turkey guacolote). And you will acquire an awful lot of useful information which would otherwise not be easily available all in one book, for example, the real significance of Goya's painting Saturn Devouring his Children".If you are educated in the history and artistic expressions of the Western World and interested in Spain and South America, you will not be able to put this book down until you come to the end. In actual fact, you will probably wish that you never came to the end.

I had to read this book for a Spanish course and I am so glad I did. Interesting facts are revealed as the reader is swept along on a journey through the history of Spain and her subsequent conquests in the Americas. Carlos Fuentes uses just the right mix of objectivity and subjectivity in order to retain the interest of the reader. A truly interesting book artfully written by an author who is passionate about his subject

Carlos Fuentes writes beautifully. I bought this book for a class but I’ll keep it to read it all and enjoy it all.

I needed this book for class. I'm reading it in Spanish as well as English. Overall, it's a condensed historical overview and critical cultural analysis of Spanish and Latino culture. Great for any culture buff. Arrived used and in great condition, too!

Reading this book has enlightened my understanding of the Latino culture that I have experienced and lived. The clearness of Mr. Fuentes' observations was astounding. I had thought that my experiences were unique; they were not. The link between the Old World and the New was clarified for me. I recommend this book for students, educators, Arizonans, and the Media.

An extremely ambitious project; handled well. A recount of history,slightly depressing in clearly showing how little we humans learn from past mistakes One of a few books I will read a second time

Beautiful text to accompany Fuente's amazing account of what has formed and made Spanish America what it is today. A beautiful "reflection" of what Latino Americans and the rest of us should take into account when considering the history, identity and future trajectory of the Latino world.

Fantastic book was the icing on the cake to complete my history degree