México negro. (Black Mexico)
Reviewed by Bruce Jensen, South Texas Coll. Lib., McAllen, TX -- Críticas, 3/1/2008
Moreno, Francisco Martín.
Mexico/U.S: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2007. 636p. ISBN 978-970-58-0174-7. $24.99. HISTORICAL FICTION
The 1986 publication of México negro marked the arrival of a new voice in Mexican letters, that of a freshly minted novelist who brought an iconoclastic view of history and an unusual—that is, scrupulously documented and footnoted—way of writing fiction. Moreno was a bored government lawyer with an eye for historical detail and an ear for good stories. His debut novel, which was written during an unpaid leave of absence, confidently tackles many key moments in 20th-century Mexico: the dawn of the oil boom, the complex twists and turns of the revolution, and the momentous 1938 expropriation of foreign petroleum companies during the regime of Lázaro Cárdenas. The author masterfully shows the evolving, dangerous cynicism of a U.S. oil baron, the tragedy of a Huastecan farm family victimized by the industry, and the backroom scheming of presidents and revolutionaries. This book, an immediate hit even while Mexico was preoccupied with hosting the World Cup, was the first of a string of best-selling historical novels that allowed Moreno to relinquish his old job. This edition includes a new prolog by the author that puts Mexico’s petroleum situation in a modern context, in this case the aftermath of Vicente Fox’s administration. Moreno’s stature and popularity make this first novel important for any collection on Mexican literature.
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