The Mexpat Notebook
The Mexpat Notebook
What I'm reading, and what you're reading
Like any human domain, the internet is a place where task completion, mundane utility and banal idiocy often prevail, punctuated by occasional flashes of originality, insight or humor. As the sedimentary layers of accumulated online information become denser, I find I’m always on the lookout for those with a talent for finding gems while toiling in the mines of the attention economy.
This is the inspiration behind The Mexpat Notebook, which I plan to publish 1-2 times a month. Here you’ll find links to my own finds (in both English and Spanish)—good reads or listens, provocative posts, and sometimes a few picks from my nightstand too.
Most importantly, I’m inviting and encouraging all of you to also share your finds in the comments section. Let’s swap links!
On the ground in Sinaloa's new war (CrashOut by Ioan Grillo)
Journalist and author Ioan Grillo shares his on-the-ground reporting—supported by extensive knowledge of organized crime in Mexico—on the clash between “Los Mayos” and “Los Chapitos” in Sinaloa, which since Sept. 9 has claimed at least 100 lives, according to authorities.
Muchos huevos (Whitepaper.mx)
I enjoyed this profile about what I’d guess is the biggest Mexican company you’ve never heard of. Proan is one of the world’s largest producers of chicken eggs (nearly 30 million eggs per day), which are sold in Mexico under the brand name Huevos San Juan. The company is based in San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco, a town of 70,000 otherwise known as a destination for an annual pilgrimage to its cathedral—not exactly one of Mexico’s “hubs” of industry, yet home to a massive, vertically integrated business.
The Michelin Guide brought scrutiny, crowds and stress to Mexico City. Does Texas want that? (Texas Monthly)
Days after a Mexico City taquería was awarded a coveted Michelin star, videos appeared in my X feed showing the jaw-dropping line of customers waiting to sample the suddenly world-famous tacos at El Califa de León. This piece explores some of the aftershocks of the gourmet guide’s first Mexico edition, concluding that Mexican cuisine doesn’t need this French stamp of approval—though Porfirio Díaz would “be giddy about all this.”
Fin de sexenio: Una mirada desde el sur (Gatopardo)
A long read about AMLO’s legacy in southern Mexico, most notably the Tren Maya and the Sembrando Vida program. The writer, a professor of political ecology, takes a more benevolent view of the environmental impact of these projects than most media outlets have, and points out the shift from regional economic stagnation to growth (spurred by public investment) in the past six years.
Mexico’s draconian drug laws are about to get even worse (Ojalá)
While the judicial reform has stolen most of the limelight in recent weeks, one of AMLO’s other reform proposals—one that seems a bit like a non sequitur—would prohibit e-cigarettes and fentanyl at the constitutional level. While overdose numbers in Mexico still pale in comparison to the U.S., they are on the rise. Could this legislation make it harder to address this nascent public health crisis?
Ayotzinapa, una década después: ¿Quiénes mataron a los 43 normalistas? (El País)
The ten-year anniversary of the Ayotzinapa atrocity last week was marked by protests in Mexico City, and by a promise that “whoever governs,” the fight to uncover the truth will continue. This exhaustive overview in El País by journalist Pablo Ferri summarizes the various hypotheses of what happened on that rainy night in Iguala and also the ensuing investigations, and their repeated failures. AMLO acknowledged this week some of the shortcomings during his term, saying that “things got complicated.”
Who is Claudia Sheinbaum? A profile on Mexico’s first woman president (Mexico News Daily)
Tomorrow is AMLO’s last day as president, and Claudia Sheinbaum will be inaugurated on Tuesday, promising to carry on his “cuarta transformación.” If you’re looking for some more biographical background on Sheinbaum, you might enjoy this profile I wrote after her election in June.
Nostalgia Ilícita by Carlos Pascual
This is not a newly published book, but I just finished reading (and savoring) it. This series of searing autobiographical stories, mostly set during the author’s life in Mexico before he moved to Europe, will linger with you. I’ve known Pascual for many years, and know some of the other characters too—including one of the protagonists, the town I call home: San Miguel de Allende.
Now it’s your turn! Please share what you’ve been reading about Mexico lately in the comments, and let’s get a discussion going.
I enjoyed America del Norte, a newish memoir masquerading as a novel by Mexico's literary wonderkid Nicolas Medina Mora. It's in English, even if Nicolas is Mexican (that is what Yale, Iowa Writer's workshop does to a financially secure and gifted Mexican.). It's a posh, intellectual Mexican's take on immigration, identity, privileged life in modern America and Mexico, and not quite fitting in anywhere. It's quite moving on his relationship with his adorable Mum (who dies of cancer), and fascinating on the tug of war and love with his famous Dad, Eduardo Median Mora, the former Supreme Court magistrate, Ambassador to UK/USA, Attorney-General. It's a bit self-indulgent teenage intellectual at times, especially with his obsession with fascist- sympathizer Jose Vasconcelos (of Cosmic race,,) and others of that ilk, and often reads more like a series of disjointed chapters than offering a clear narrative per se. Still, a great read (mostly).