Mexico: A Concise Illustrated History Paperback – February 5, 2026

This accessible, sweeping survey of Mexican history, from pre-Columbian times to the present, introduces critical political and economic processes that have defined the country. With ample maps and illustrations, along with historiographical inserts, this book is a guide from the earliest beginnings of a great nation down to the present day. This 2nd edition includes the following changes: - 2 additional chapters, covering contemporary Mexico in the 21st century - Fresh and substantial content about the cartels, criminal organizations, and the drug war - The latest updates on pre-Columbian archaeological discoveries - 20 new illustrations - 10 inserts addressing historiography and referencing over 100 scholarly books - An expanded and updated Suggestions for Further Reading section To understand this complex and diverse land is to study the splendor of its pre-Columbian cultures, learn the legacies of a violent conquest, and appreciate the fluorescence of 3 centuries of viceregal Spanish rule. The struggle for independence, war with the United States, French Intervention, Benito Juárez, dictatorship under Porfirio Díaz, revolutionary upheaval under “Pancho” Villa – all are laid out in crystal clear narrative. Nor does this book shirk from addressing the darker side of history. Examining the corruption of 20th-century presidents, security apparatuses, and the PRI party, it explores the roots of present-day cartels and rising patterns of social violence. Read more