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Praise
for the ebook, Podcasting for Writers & Other Creative Entrepreneurs
(Dancing Chiva, 2012)
 "What
a charming little manual—and what a delightful way to learn
about podcasting! With Podcasting for Writers, C.M. Mayo
generously offers writers and other would-be podcasters a step-by-step
guide to the process of creating an audio recording for the internet.
Coming at it with full understanding of the hesitancy others
may feel about attempting to podcast, she provides encouraging
words, makes her instructions clear and straight-forward, and
provides many tips that will help others head off glitches at
the pass. In addition to her “easy peasy” ten steps,
which are just that, readers are treated to the choice images,
ingenious similes, and clever humor that are this writer’s
hallmarks. Learn about podcasting while Mayo calls into your
mind images of guitarists with mutton chops, Edith Wharton blogging,
and kids at pond-side tiddlywinking peas. The book is packed
with resources, and the collection of interviews with other writer-podcasters
in the appendices are wonderful. If you have a yen to podcast,
grab this book and your voice will be on line before the tiddlywink
hits the pond."
Sara
Mansfield Taber
Praise
for The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by C.M. Mayo
(Unbridled
Books, May 5, 2009)
 "Epic in scope, Mayo's impressively researched
novel set in mid-19th century Mexico City mines the true story
of the short turbulent reign of the archduke of Austria, Maximilian
von Hapsburg, who was made emperor of Mexico in 1864. Childless
and desperate for an heir, the emperor makes substantial monetary
promises to the parents of a young boy named Agustin. With much
trepidation, they agree to give over the boy, who becomes a pawn
in a custody battle that begins when Maximilian adopts the two-year-old
Agustin with the hopes of having him inherit the throne. Agustin's
American mother, Madame de Iturbide (née Alice Green),
soon becomes dissatisfied with the arrangement and pleads with
Maximilian to return her son. Maximilian has Alice deported,
which sets off an international brawl. Maximilian finally concedes
as Mexico devolves “into bankruptcy and lawlessness”
and Maximilian's wife, Carlota, becomes increasingly “unmoored.”
Lengthy, expository, meandering and grandiose, Mayo's reanimation
of a crucial period in Mexican history should satisfy history
buffs and those in the mood for an engaging story brimming with
majestic ambition.
Publisher's
Weekly
It
is a hefty, sprawling work, more than 400 pages long, but at
no point does it begin to sag under its own weight. Perhaps because
its spread is solidly supported by facts, Mayo's intricate plot
trips along at a natural, inexorable pace, easily traveling the
sweeping map she has laid out for it, from Washington to Mexico
City and all the way to the imperial halls of Europe... a swashbuckling,
riotous good time, befitting the fairy-tale promise of the opening
sentence.
Austin
American-Statesman
Click
here to read more
Mayo’s cultural insights are
first-rate, and the glittering, doomed regime comes to life in
quick vignettes. Recommended to readers of popular history as
well as historical fiction. Fans of such Mexican-themed novels
as Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate or Sandra
Cisnero’s Caramelo might enjoy this for context and
contrast.
Library
Journal (Xpress Review)
Click
here to read more
I have read a few
sweeping historical novels that have remain inside of me forever.
Tolstoy's War and Peace is one of those, Dickens's A
Tale of Two Cities is another, Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago
is another, and now The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire
is another.
James
Tipton, Mexico Connect
Click
here to read more
The
Last Prince of the Mexican Empire sheds incredible light on the day-to-day
happenings in a royal court that was doomed, from the hour of
coronation, to fail....Painstaking historical and cultural research
is put to good use in Mayo's narrative, but the true texture
of this novel is the rich and credible representations of the
secondary characters. From the emperor's guards to the toddler's
nurse, the supporting cast of perspectives provides a full insider's
view of 19th-century life in Chapultepec Castle and Mexico City....
The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a stunning achievement,
an inspired novel that steers clear of boring history lessons
and instead zeroes in on the smallest epicenter— Principe
Agustin de Iturbide y Green— to spiral out into a wondrous
period, 1860s Mexico, a time of political possibility and unrest
in which "persons who do not appear to share even a footprint's
worth of common ground turn out to have destinies bound together
in painful knots."
Rigoberto
Gonzalez, The El Paso Times
Click
here to read more
Partiendo de una concienzuda y afortunada
búsqueda en archivos públicos y privados, Mayo
logró reunir un caudal de información notable de
la que hace uso con bastante desenvoltura....No me queda sino
celebrar esta novela, que, comenzando lentamente, termina subyugando
por su notable narración.
Pablo
Soler Frost, Letras Libres
En México
se han escrito novelas históricas que recrean con erudición,
maestría y poesía una época, un episodio,
una atmósfera y unos personajes. Pienso, desde luego,
en Noticias del imperio de Fernando del Paso; también
en la obra de Enrique Serna sobre Santa Anna, la de Rosa Beltrán
sobre Guerrero o la reciente novela de C.M. Mayo: El último
príncipe del Imperio Mexicano, sobre el nieto de Iturbide
en la corte de Maximiliano.
Enrique
Krauze, Reforma (Mexico City)
"La cosecha editorial del 2010" 20 Septiembre, 2009
El
último príncipe del Imperio Mexicano no es una biografía...
O para decirlo más acertadamente, es mucho más
que una biografía. Se trata de una historia apasionada
y original sobre ese experimento trágico, heroico, cruel,
cómico y hasta absurdo que fue el breve gobierno de Maximiliano
de Habsburgo en México. Para escribir la crónica
de esa epopeya, la autora, C.M. Mayo, se involucró en
un esfuerzo de investigación monumental. De no haber ocurrido
de esa manera, el producto editorial habría resultado
muy diferente y, por supuesto, de meor calidad... La perseverencia
en este tipo de indagaciones resulta fundamental. Es la histamina
que impulsa la exploración sin truega y que la autora
nos comparte en esa suerte de confesión intelectual que
es el epílogo de su conmovedor libro.
EduardoTurrent,
El Economista
Una
novela histórica, bien contada. Con un estilo romántico,
y un ritmo suave. Suficiente información histórica,
ambienta la narración de hechos tanto en Estados Unidos,
como en México y Europa. De la edición. Portada
con foto real del príncipe. Edición e impresión
cuidada. Buena letra. La traducción de Agustín
Cadena. Editorial Grijalbo entrega un libro interesante de un
tema poco conocido. Esta novela histórica, se lee rápido,
es entretenida.
Daniel
Emilio Pacheco Hojeando
libros
The Last Prince
of the Mexican Empire
packs a wallop. It is a fascinating historical account delivered
in such sweeping, compelling prose as to ring more like literature
than fact—and, fundamentally, one could say that it’s
both; it proves false that old Dorothy Parker adage about historical
novels being neither novels nor history. This is an extensively
researched and brilliantly organized book, combining geopolitics,
international finance, military strategy, and, alas, the eternal
struggle of a family, a child, and the human heart in the midst
of it all... Mayo, who has lived in Mexico for many years and
has written extensively about its history and culture, is the
author of a travel memoir about Baja California, among other
works. Her literary style is seasoned, intelligent, and wonderfully
informed.
Himilce
Novas, Multicultural Review
[A] meticulously researched
version of the infamous folly of Emperor Maximilian and Empress
Carlota of Mexico, told in part from the remarkable, lesser-known
perspective of Alice Green. ...The story is intriguing, with
a cast of characters geerally left unnoticed by historical accounts.
Yet Mayo found a plethora of primary source documentation once
she started digging.... The story is not simply chronological,
but includes frequent dranatic depictions of events laternated
with supplying context, a technique that pricks interest and
moves things along smoothly despite the complex baggage of historical
facts.... This richly rendered telling lifts [the prince's]
story from history's sidelines and fills it with life.
Patricia
Dubrava, Bloomsbury Review
sThis interesting yarn about Maximilian’s heir presumptive,
Prince Agustín de Iturbide y Green, is set against the
backdrop of the second Mexican Emperor’s ill-fated reign.
Author C.M. Mayo— winner of the Flannery O’Connor Award
for Short Fiction for her collection Sky Over El Nido— has
conducted significant research to compile a story that is both
grand yet intimate about a child who sparked an international
scandal. The intriguing tale of the Prince of Mexico offers a
fine historical lesson about why Maximilian’s paternalistic
adventure in a country that did not want him was doomed from
the start.
The
Latin American Review of Books
La
agudeza que usa C.M.Mayo para disectar la realidad se mantiene
presente a lo largo de sus páginas. El recuento de los
sucesos históricos nos hablan de un pasaje de la historia
mexicana casi olvidado. Este proyecto es entonces un producto
que la generosidad de C.M. Mayo ha legado a México....Efectivamente,
el libro promete volverse un clásico
Entre los espacios (Rosemary Salum)
Click
here for the full review
Mayo resurrects
a sad story from the footnotes of history and embroiders the
few details known about it into a rich historical novel... Mayo
comfortably blends fiction with fact while illuminating a dark
corner of North American history.
Booklist
The
search for an heir is the ostensible subject... The couple find
a boy who had been born to a grandson of the previous emperor
of Mexico, Augustín Iturbide, and they sign a contract
with the parents saying that they will raise him, starting at
age two... If this is all too confusing, don't sweat it:
everything is made clear, charmingly so, in The Last Prince
of the Mexican Empire. The book is chockablock full of royal
families, royal rumors, royal disputes, as well as being an Upstairs,
Downstairs to 19th Century royal life of uplands Mexico.
The Review of Arts, Literature, Philsophy and the Humanities
Click
here for the full review
... [A] rich historical novel... Political ambitions, the intrigues
of the imperial court, and the relationship between countries
at the height of European colonization all the drive the intricate
plot of the novel, taking us on a dizzying journey from Washington
to Veracruz to Paris and back to Mexico and the U.S.... The evocative
descriptions and ironic commentary on the relationship between
cultures make this an enjoyable and important novel, particularly
relevant for these times.
Oindrila
Mukherjee,
Literal:
Latin American Voices
C.M. Mayo's The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a
historical novel as well-written and researched as it is educational
and entertaining. I knew little of Mexico's history before picking
up this book, but Mayo has a gift for bringing historical figures
to life in a brilliant combination of fiction and biography.
Largehearted
Boy
Click
here to read the guest-blog post for
Largehearted Boy's Book Notes column.
Mayo who has so elegantly described Mexico in her other books
does a great job of pulling the reader into this true story yet
it is her imagination that has filled in the details. It is so
cleverly done that the reader buys into the plot and wants to
turn each page to discover what will come next in this whirl
of Mexicans, Americans and Europeans. On a number of different
levels, many of us can identify with the drama of this period,
be it ethnic, cultural, or political, for while one reads he
has to ask himself: What would have happened if things did not
turn out the way they did in Mexico?... I can't wait to pick
up the book and read it once again
Robert
Giron's Chez Robert Giron
Click
here for the full review
C. M. Mayo cleverly and faithfully imagines the details behind
the facts of this entangled saga. Her characters, based on years
of research, are depicted as they might well have been. The author’s
fictionalization of Maximilian and Charlotte is thoroughly believable,
drawing readers into the minds and hearts of the Emperor and
Empress as they struggle to build a country and a legacy. Young
Augustín’s parents, Angel and Alicia, torn between
love for their child and a desire to secure that child’s
future, are the opposing force to Maximilian and equally compelling
in their determination to do whatever is best for their child
and their country... The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire
is a beautiful example of historical fiction done properly. Mayo
has drawn from the scanty facts and filled in only what is necessary
to lead the reader along a logical path of what-might-have-been.
Not a quick read by any means, this is nevertheless a book to
be savored for its artfully crafted prose and extraordinary characters.
Curled
Up With A Good Book
Click
here to read the full review
Mayo has taken a little-known incident in the history of
Mexico and fleshed out the characters and the times in a broad,
lush style. We may remember learning in school about the Emperor
Maximilian and his wife Carlota, the (ultimately) mad Empress,
who ruled Mexico for a short while after France’s misguided
invasion. It all seemed a rather bizarre historical footnote;
what we didn’t know is that Maximilian and Carlota were
given a young Mexican child whom they designated as their heir.
The story of this child, Agustin, and how his parents allowed
him to be taken away by the royal couple, is quite a remarkable
story. Mayo, a longtime resident of Mexico, researched this story
for years, in archives in North and South America.
A
Reader's Place (Rosalind Reisner)
Click
here to read more
The
Last Prince
deserves attention. It is an ambitious book for tackling such
a complicated little sliver of history, and Mayo brings her historic
characters to life with a compelling story for a modern audience.
Rose
City Reader
Click
here to read more
I am enthralled
with this book! The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire by
C.M. Mayo is a historical novel of the best kind— a tale
based on history, not merely set in historic times— about
how Maximilian, the Hapsburg Emperor of Mexico, "adopted"
the grandson of the first Mexican Emperor. There are so many
characters telling the tale from their own point of view—
everyone from the Emperor to the scullery maid to the toddler
prince himself— and such a complicated plot! It has me hanging
on every page. Lots of adventure and detail; great, clean writing
that doesn't get in the way of the story. And all about a sliver
of European / New World history that I kno nothing about and
am intrigued by. This is the kind of novel to get lost in.
Rose
City Reader
Click
here to read more.
Based on actual events, The Last
Prince of the Mexican Empire tells the tale of two-year old
Agustin de Iturbide y Green, a little boy of an American mother
and Mexican Father who is “adopted” by Maximilian von
Hapsburg during his brief time as the Emperor of Mexico. The
little boy is made the Heir Presumptive, and his parents are
expelled from Mexico and sent to France, which is the beginning
of their quest to regain custody of their son. The cast of historical
characters ranging from royalty to household servants is extensive,
giving the reader a complete sense of understanding the time
and circumstances of the actual participants of this intriguing
real life drama. This short but tumultuous period of Mexico’s
history is fantastically told by first-time novelist, C.M. Mayo,
fans of Mexican history will devour it.
Sherri
Gallentine Vroman’s Bookstore, Pasadena, CA
[T]his
epic novel takes on a convoluted period in Mexico's history and
the complicated families ruling or eager to rule in the mid-19th
Century. Mayo does exceptionally well with multiple points of
view, description, and character development to create a vivid
dramatization. The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire would
make a great book club selection and discussion.
Savvy
Verse & Wit
Click
here to read more
...a very compelling story with
a ton of juicy history to savor. Mayo has an elegant style that
weaves in and out of fact and fiction as she reaches into the
minds of the major players and then deviates to introduce supporting
characters (nearly all of them real as well)... After finishing
this wonderful novel I have new respect for the trials suffered
by our southern neighbor in the recent past and also a deep desire
to learn more about so many of the names involved, not the least
of which the little boy who almost became the future ruler of
a nation.
Bookslut
Click
here to read more
The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is impeccably researched
and beautifully rendered. Those readers who love complex historical
novels and who want to learn more about this time period in Mexican
history will enjoy Mayo’s work.
Caribou's
Mom Book Blog
Click
here to read more
The political history of Mexico
is as interesting as it is complex, but especially intriguing
are the two brief periods when Mexico was ruled by an emperor....
C.M. Mayo's historical novel, The Last Prince of the Mexican
Empire, provides a most engaging account of that second reign
of 1864-1867... The intrigues, both personal and political, of
the second regency are imaginatively related...Those who have
read more than a little history of Mexico will realize the thorough
historical historical research done by the author.
Eccolo,
Alexandria Virginia
Click
here to read more
...a fascinating and
engaging book. Mayo has done extensive research and this time
period in Mexican history really comes alive through her writing.
Sympathies change as different viewpoints are voiced and you
come to realize the complexities of this political situation.
We
Be Reading Book Blog
Click
here to read more
The prose is luminous and the story is compelling. As a reader,
I wanted to know what happened next and whether or not Alicia
and Angelo got their son back. I enjoyed feeling like I was learning
something; this is a period I know very little about and I always
enjoy learning more. I appreciated in huge amounts the author’s
note with bibliography in the back of the book, particularly
the bit about how she became interested, and I know I will now
go off to read about Agustín and his family.
Medieval
Bookworm
Click
here to read more
This is a fascinating and complex novel about a little known
period in Mexican history. The author's extensive research and
richly detailed settings bring to life nineteenth century Mexico
in a vast, colorful tapestry. From the lowly kitchen maid and
the rough soldier to the bluest blood of the European aristocracy,
we are treated to pieces of the story from every point of view....All
in all, a very enjoyable book, a must read for the dedicated
historical fiction fan.
The
Tome Traveller's Weblog
Click
here to read more
On
your next trip, take this book with you. If you are traveling
to Mexico, you will find new destinations that may pique your
interest, such as the remains of Maximilian’s residences,
which are described in this book. The Last Prince of the Mexican
Empire is highly recommended as an entertaining read, with
a strong Mexican heritage and a liberal interpretation of history.
Clark
Isaacs, The Cutting Edge
Click
here to read the full review.
Clark's
Eye on Books (same review)
Click
here to read more
...to understand the violence of
modern Mexico, one must also understand the violence of 19th
century Mexico. C.M. Mayo’s historical romance, The Last
Prince of the Mexican Empire, brings to light aristocratic
intrigue, revolutionary violence, and dynastic striving during
the late 1860s... The political details are convoluted, but C.M.
Mayo brings the story to life... she captures the atmosphere
of Second Empire Mexico in the words, culture, language, and
cuisine. We enter the minds of Emperor Maximilian, Empress Carlota,
Princess Alicia, and many others, including cooks, diplomats,
and revolutionaries. Obscure history has never been so interesting.
In the Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, one will encounter
a nation divided by dynastic splendor and revolutionary struggle,
families sundered and ideals curdled by poor planning and political
corruption. There’s even a little bit about pirates... The
Last Prince of the Mexican Empire reads like a paleo-prequel
to Bolaño’s 2666, a timely meditation on a violent,
beautiful land and a people struggling for peace and happiness.
Karl
Wolff, Blogcritics
Click
here to read more
A wonderful, interesting, and enlightening read for Cinco de
Mayo!
Dulce
Bread & Book Shop
I recommend The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire to anyone
curious about the history of Mexico. It is full of wonderful
informaion about a vanished or little-known culture that we don't
hear a lot about.
Robin Armijo,
Book
Readers Central
July 22, 2010
Click
here to read complete review
C.M. Mayo's lyrical, humorous prose brings each character to
life--often using historical letters and other writings. The
characters were compelling and complex, the court intrigues (both
in Mexico, Europe and in the U.S.) revealed why this empire was
so short-lived, as do Maximilian's strange decisions. I especially
enjoyed the depiction of Maximilian who tried his best to fit
the image of a benevolent ruler without truly understanding the
needs and desires of his military and subjects. He seemed to
live in a fantasy world of what "good" rulers do and
couldn't base his decisions on the actual reality he faced in
Mexico. Mayo describes the countryside of Mexico and Europe,
the cities and castles with such gorgeous details to make each
scene come alive. . . This is a great novel, and an awesome way
to learn more about Mexican history
Jennifer
Sellers' Reading life
August 11, 2010
Click
here to read complete review
I could have picked up The Last Prince of Mexican Empire by
C.M. Mayo because of the lovely cover but I didn't. It was the
title. It has a magical quality. I took it to be a metaphor for
something because I was unaware of Mexico ever having had a prince.
Chalk that up to my weak education and the Prince not being mentioned
in the movie Juarez. The sum total of my knowledge of Mexican
history comes from that movie so I was all over the Prince's
parents: Emperor Maximilian and his wife Carlota having seen
them portrayed by Brian Aherne and Bette Davis but the powers
that be or rather were in 1939 chose not to mention any princes
in that flick.
In 1864 His Imperial and Royal Highness Ferdinand Maximilian
Joseph, Prince Imperial and Archduke of Austria, Prince Royal
of Hungary and Bohemia and his wife, Princess Marie Charlotte
Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine
of Belgium, became Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Carlota of
Mexico. Prior to this they had not ruled a nation so this was
a bit of a career change for them. From what I understand installing
a royal family in Mexico was a plot cooked up by Napoleon the
III of France with the support of Great Britain and Spain in
order to make Mexico pay off loans on which it's President, Benito
Juarez, had suspended payments. Maximilian, Carlota and some
French troops were sent off to replace President Juarez and resume
the payments but all under the guise of liberty. There was a
small group of supporters of Maximilian within Mexico made up
of conservatives and members of the clergy but this was really
an invasion.
Those are amazing
bones for a historical novel aren't they? You can add to them
Carlota's madness, Maximilian's righteous beliefs in his own
liberality and entitlement and we haven't even mentioned the
Prince yet. What riches.
The Prince is two
year old, half American Agustín de Iturbide y Green. A
year into his reign the childless Emperor Maximilian adopts and/or
buys Agustín and makes the boy his heir presumptive. Agustín's
parents are at first somewhat enamored by the new royal court
but soon after signing away their son they are desperate to get
him back. Maximilian has them exiled. This on top of everything
else going wrong in their kingdom have Maximilian and Carlota
in the middle of an international scandal.
Have you thought "you
can't make this stuff up" yet? There is obviously no shortage
of plot to stuff into The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire.
Mayo manipulates all of these elements like a professional juggler.
She alternates the narrative between Maximilian, Carlota, and
Agustín's parents always keeping them believable. We see
all sides of the custody battle, the coming revolution in Mexico
and the geopolitics that have set this epic debacle in motion.
It's very impressive that Mayo can present all this material
and infuse it with immediacy and color without it either spiraling
out of her control or becoming a laundry list of events.
The Last Prince
of the Mexican Empire
is unbelievable fact wrapped up in grand storytelling. C.M. Mayo
started with one hell of a of little known chapter in history
and made it even more captivating.
No
Cupcakes for You
Click
here to read more
Author C.M. Mayo draws you into a page-turning period of political
turmoil, scandal, and cultural conflict peppered with colorful
characters.
The Last Prince
of the Mexican Empire
is not only an intriguing and satifying read, it is a history
lesson, a cultural novelty, an indepth study of humanity, and
a mesmerizing insight into the struggles of the Mexican nation.
One cannot help but
be changed after reading this splendid novel. You will be left
with a deeper appreciation and understanding of Mexico's rich
history, and the sensation that you have just encountered one
of life's great treasures.
Country
Bookshelf
Click
here to read more
You might not think that the Holy
Roman Empire, France, Rome, Washington DC, and Mexico have much
in common. However, in one strange historical conjunction in
the mid-1800s, all these world powers concerned themselves with
a small boy from a good family.
In her novel The
Last Prince of the Mexican Empire, C. M. Mayo uncovers a
little-known historical episode. The Civil War rages in the U.S.,
and the world stage is in upheaval. As part of ongoing political
machinations Austrian Grand-Duke Maximilian Habsburg, brother
of the Holy Roman Emperor, is offered the throne of Mexico. He
imports a European court with all its protocol and precedences
to Mexico in the midst of a revolution.
Across the Atlantic,
Alice Green dreams about exotic destinations. She’s a Washington
debutante from the Tidewater "aristocracy." When she
meets Angelo Iturbide, a member of the Mexican diplomatic delegation
and grandson of the deposed Mexican emperor, it’s love at
first sight. Although neither family fully approves the match,
they marry and move to Mexico City. In due time, they have a
son, who is adopted as Maximilian’s heir. Much political
and familial fallout ensues, and therein lies a terrific story
that spans continents.
The novel’s language
is lyrical, evoking castles in Trieste and markets in Mexico
City with equal verve. Mayo won the Flannery O’Connor prize
for short fiction, as is evident in her masterful prose. An omniscient
third person narrator gives the story a lovely old-fashioned
voice as it follows many characters, including the emperor, his
heir, nannies, maids, Alice, and Angelo. Mayo clearly completed
a fantastic amount of research, and her novel proves it by walking
a nice line between historical fiction and literary nonfiction.
Kristen Blount, Adminitsrative Office,
Howard
County Public Library
Admittedly, I don’t
have that great a knowledge of Mexico’s history. It might
as well be galaxies away. C.M. Mayo’s The Last Prince
of the Mexican Empire changed all of this for me. It opens
in Washington D.C., a city near (literally) and dear to my heart.
Young Alice Green meets & falls in love with Angelo de Iturbide,
a member of the Mexican delegation. They eventually marry and
Angelo carries Alice away to Mexico.
Alice experiences
a bit of animosity from parts of Angelo’s family (a situation
I can easily sympathize with) but eventually Angelo & Alice
are able to conceive, giving birth to a son, Augustin.
Mexico is in turmoil;
led by Napoleon, the French invade the country & install
Maximilian von Habsburg (Archduke of Austria) as the emperor.
Maximilian & his wife are childless. Desperate for an heir,
they obtain custody of a child, the grandchild of the first emperor
of Mexico. That child is Augustin de Iturbide.
Augustin’s parents,
Angelo & Alice, really don’t have much say in the situation
so they reluctantly agree. They are promised that Augustin will
live a life of wealth and luxury. But when they lose contact
with their young son they understandably become desperate to
retrieve him. This “custody” battle becomes an international
scandal, further tainting Maximilian’s empire.
The Last Prince
of the Mexican Empire
is a fantastic retelling of this bit of unknown Mexican history.
It is obvious that Mayo did a TREMENDOUS amount of research to
write this book. The characters become alive on the pages; I
felt the pain and anguish Angelo & Alice felt upon losing
their son.
The cast of characters
is long and complex, permitting the reader to get viewpoints
from all sides of the story.It was incredibly interesting to
me to get a glimpse of this bit of Mexican history. Mayo’s
knowledge and familiarity of Mexico really added to the story.
She was able to describe the setting and events as if she were
there herself, providing a side to this story not often seen.
Fans of detailed historical
fiction will gain from reading this book. It is full of historical
detail, tinged with a bit of fiction to intrigue the reader.
Highly recommended!
Jenn's
Bookshelves, Nov
11, 2010
Click
here to read complete review
I have to admit to a woeful lack of knowledge about Mexico's
history. That is part of what drew me to this book in the first
place. Being someone who is drawn to historical novels but who
usually chooses books written about European countries this was
going to be a learning experience for me.
I am so very glad
I decided to learn as I have found a new favorite book. . .
I feel like I could
write about this book all day and beyond. It is THAT good. I
found myself so involved in the lives of the characters I now
want to go and research and learn more about Mexico's history.
From reading the afterward in the book the author had to do quite
a bit of research to write this book because as fascinating as
this tale is most history books relegate it to mere snippets.
I love when a book fires my interest to the point that I want
to learn more and more and more.
The writing style
is easy to read, draws you in and you don't want to leave. I
have learned and been entertained all at the same time. What
more can you ask of a book. This is one that will stay in my
library to be read again.
Broken
Teepee
Click
here to read complete review
The biggest thing that I will take away from reading this work
of historical fiction, is that my view on Mexico will forever
be changed. Every perception of the people and places I have
seen there has been altered – and in a good way. What a
rich history they have that is seldom told! Thanks to Ms. Mayo
for giving me a different perspective. . . . go out and get the
book. You won’t regret it.
The
Book Drunkard
November 18, 2010
Click
here to read complete review
C.M. Mayo has tremendous knowledge of Mexico and that she
loves that country fiercely. She's a gifted writer and definitely
knows how to spin history with an interesting fictional story.
Girls
Just Reading
November
4, 2010
Click
here to read complete review
Publisher's
Description:
The
Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a sweeping historical novel
of Mexico during the short, tragic, at times surreal, reign of
Emperor Maximilian and his court. Even as the American Civil
War raged north of the border, a clique of Mexican conservative
exiles and clergy convinced Louis Napoleon to invade Mexico and
install the Archduke of Austria, Maximilian von Habsburg, as
Emperor. A year later, the childless Maximilian took custody
of the two year old, half-American, Prince Agustin de Iturbide
y Green, making the toddler the Heir Presumptive. Maximilian
s reluctance to return the child to his distraught parents, even
as his empire began to fall, and the Empress Carlota descended
into madness, ignited an international scandal. This lush, grand
read is based on the true story and illuminates both the cultural
roots of Mexico and the political development of the Americas.
But it is made all the more captivating by the depth of Mayo
s writing and her understanding of the pressures and influences
on these all too human players. Her prose makes the reader taste
the foods, smell the spices and flowers and feel the heat of
Mexico. Mayo writes for the senses. And for the ages. The
Last Prince of the Mexican Empire is a story both sweeping
and intimate, of geopolitics, the glamour of royalty, and the
grit of military command, of the arrogance of power, the dark
labyrinths of ambition, and, above all, of a child who was not,
in the end, a prince, but a little boy who belonged to his parents.
From
publisher's press release:
"Epic
in scope...impressively researched...Mayo's reanimation of a
crucial period in Mexican history should satisfy history buffs
and those in the mood for an engaging story brimming with majestic
ambition." Publishers Weekly
"A
rich historical novel...Mayo comfortably blends fiction with
fact while illuminating a dark corner of North American history."
Booklist
THE
LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE
By C.M. Mayo
Unbridled Books
Pub date: May 5, 2009; ISBN: 978-1-932961-64-5; Hardcover; $26.95;
6"x 9"; 432 pages; Fiction
Given
that Mexico remains much in the news, and that now is the time
to better understand our neighbor, THE LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN
EMPIRE is as timely and important as it is engaging. Set during
the mid-19th century, when Maximilian became Emperor of Mexico,
Mayo's novel becomes a story of Mexico itself, its struggle for
national identity amidst the wrangling for control of the Americas,
its complexity, its rich history, its beauty, its culture.
Maximilian
and his consort, Carlota, arrived in Mexico City in 1864, propped
up by the influx of French troops. Childless, in 1865, Maximilian
took custody of— with all appearances
that this would be his Heir Presumptive—the two-year old Prince Agustín
de Iturbide, grandson of Mexico's first emperor, a leader of
Mexico's Independence from Spain, who had been executed before
a firing squad. The boy's father, a Mexican diplomat, and mother,
a Washington D.C. belle, immediately regretted their complicity.
But Maximilian refused to relinquish the child, sparking an international
scandal.
This
history is compelling and little known. Coupled with Mayo's evocative
prose and vivid, compassionate characterizations, one cannot
help but turn the pages to find out what happened, and why.
C.M.
Mayo has been living in and writing about Mexico for many years.
Her books include the widely-lauded travel memoir, Miraculous
Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the
Other Mexico, and Sky Over El Nido, which won the
Flannery O'Connor Fiction Award for Short Fiction. An avid translator
of contemporary Mexican literature, Mayo is founding editor of
Tameme Chapbooks ~ Cuadernos, and has also edited the anthology
Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion, a portrait of
Mexico in the fiction and literary prose of 24 Mexican writers.
She conducted extensive original research to write this novel,
her debut. Mayo divides her time between Washington D.C. and
Mexico City.
Read
more at www.cmmayo.com
Brief
description for newsletters
Who knew that Mexico once had a half-American prince? Or that
this little boy’s future was hotly debated not just in Mexico
but in Washington D.C. and in every court in Europe? Set in the
mid-19th century when Maximilian von Habsburg was Emperor of
Mexico, THE LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE is based on the
true and never before completely told story about a half-American,
half-Mexican boy who, as in a fairytale, became a prince and
then a pawn in the struggle-to-the-death over Mexico's destiny.
Read more about the title at www.cmmayo.com
Press
release February 2010
Unbridled Books for paperback (English version but Spanish press
release):
Para
mayor información, favor de dirigirse a:
Caitlin Hamilton Summie
twitter.com/csummie
caitlin@unbridledbooks.com
888-732-3822, x104
UN
MEJOR LIBRO DE LIBRARY JOURNAL DE 2009
Libro notable de IndieNext para junio de 2009
"Diversión
y disfrute al estilo de las novelas de capa y espada desde la
primera línea. Intriga, amor, locura, luchas, bailes,
todo aderezado por elegantes vestuarios y cenas suntuosas. Mayo
describe la acción con la perspicacia y delicadeza de
un pincel finísimo."
The
Austin-American Statesman
"He
leído algunas novelas históricas fascinantes que
han quedado grabadas en mi memoria: La guerra y la paz, de León
Tostoi es una de ellas; otra es Historia de dos ciudades, de
Charles Dickens y Doctor Zhivago, de Boris Pasternak. Ahora puedo
agregar a mi lista El último príncipe del Imperio
Mexicano."
Mexico
Connect
THE
LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE (EL ÚLTIMO PRÍNCIPE
DEL IMPERIO MEXICANO)
por C.M.
Mayo
(18
de febrero de 2010, Denver, Colorado) Unbridled Books se complace
en anunciar la próxima edición de bolsillo de THE
LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE (EL ÚLTIMO PRÍNCIPE
DEL IMPERIO MEXICANO), primera novela de C.M. Mayo, que aparecerá
en mayo próximo. El libro, publicado en pasta dura el
año pasado, obtuvo elogios de la crítica. Continuó
recibiendo reseñas elogiosas durante todo el año
y, en diciembre, fue elegida por Library Journal como uno de
los mejores libros de 2009.
THE
LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE, novela basada en hechos reales,
narra la historia del hijo de una mujer estadounidense casada
con un integrante de la conocida familia mexicana Iturbide. Mayo,
también estadounidense, es ganadora del premio Flannery
O'Connor para cuento corto, además de reconocida traductora
de literatura mexicana contemporánea.
En
este año, que se celebra el centenario de la Revolución
Mexicana y el bicentenario de la Independencia, la historia que
narra esta novela -poco conocida hasta ahora- arroja nueva luz
sobre estas luchas. Situada a mediados del siglo XIX, cuando
el archiduque Maximiliano de Habsburgo se convirtió en
emperador de México, EL ÚLTIMO PRÍNCIPE
DEL IMPERIO MEXICANO se convierte a su vez en una historia de
México: su lucha por la identidad nacional en
medio de los altercados por el control del continente americano,
su complejidad, su rica historia, su belleza y cultura.
Maximiliano
y su esposa Carlota llegaron a la ciudad de México en
1864 con el apoyo de los Habsburgo y fueron entronizados con
el respaldo de las tropas francesas. En 1865 Maximiliano, que
no tenía descendencia, tomó a su cargo al que en
principio sería su heredero, el príncipe Agustín
de Iturbide. El pequeño, entonces de dos años,
era nieto del primer emperador de México y líder
de la Independencia de España, quien muriera en el paredón.
Su padre era un diplomático mexicano y, su madre, una
hermosa estadounidense de Washington D.C. Muy pronto, ambos lamentarían
su complicidad, pero Maximiliano se rehusó a entregar
al niño, provocando un escándalo internacional.
La
evocadora prosa de Mayo y sus vivas y compasivas caracterizaciones
no pueden sino instarnos a seguir leyendo página tras
página, para saber qué sucedió y por qué.
C.M.
Mayo radica y escribe en México desde hace varios años.
Ha escrito, entre otros libros, el aclamado diario de viajes
Como gente que apareciera en un sueño: Viajes en Baja
Baja California, así como El cielo de El Nido, que ganó
el premio Flannery O'Connor para cuento corto. Ávida traductora
de literatura mexicana contemporánea, Mayo es editora
fundadora de Tameme Chapbooks ~ Cuadernos. También ha
editado la antología Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion,
un retrato de México a través de la ficción
y la prosa literaria de 24 escritores mexicanos. Para ésta,
su primera novela, realizó una amplia investigación.
Mayo vive alternativamente en Washington D.C. y en la ciudad
de México.
Si
desea más información, visite www.unbridledbooks.com
y www.cmmayo.com.
###
OTRAS
CRÍTICAS PARA
THE LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE (EL ÚLTIMO PRÍNCIPE
DEL IMPERIO MEXICANO)
"Un
logro impresionante… una sugerente novela que dista mucho
de las aburridas lecciones de historia.". El Paso Times
"Novela
de dimensiones épicas, con una investigación impresionante.
Mayo revive un periodo crucial de la historia de México
de manera tal que dejará satisfechos tanto a los amantes
de la historia como a aquellos que buscan una historia entretenida,
desbordante de ambición y majestuosidad". Publishers Weekly
"Después
de realizar una investigación imponente, Mayo, ganadora
del premio Flannery O'Connor para cuento corto por su libro El
cielo de El Nido, ha compilado una historia que es a la vez grandiosa
e íntima sobre un niño que suscitó un escándalo
internacional. La intrigante narración del príncipe
de México nos ofrece una excelente lección de historia
sobre las razones por las que la aventura paternal de Maximiliano
en un país que no lo quería estaba destinada al
fracaso".Latin
American Book Review
"Una
rica novela histórica donde las ambiciones políticas,
las intrigas de la corte imperial y la relación entre
países en la cúspide de la colonización
europea son el hilo conductor de la intricada trama de la novela,
que nos transporta en un viaje vertiginoso desde Washington hasta
Veracruz y París, y de regreso a México y Estados
Unidos. Las evocadoras descripciones e irónicos comentarios
sobre la relación entre culturas hace de ésta una
novela importante y disfrutable, de particular relevancia en
los tiempos que vivimos". Literal: Latin American Voices
"Gracias
a la notable percepción de la cultura que demuestra Mayo,
el deslumbrante y fatídico gobierno vuelve a la vida en
rápidas viñetas. Recomendada a lectores de historia
popular y de novela histórica. Quienes gustan de novelas
de temas mexicanos, tales como Como agua para chocolate, de Laura
Esquivel o Caramelo, de Sandra Cisneros, disfrutarán este
libro, como contexto y contraste". LJXpress (Library Journal)
"Una
historia absorbente, con gran cantidad de jugosa historia para
saborear. Con un estilo elegante, Mayo entreteje la historia
con hechos y ficción y se interna en la mente de los principales
personajes, para luego desviarse hacia los personajes secundarios
(en su mayoría también reales). Después
de leer esta maravillosa novela, siento un nuevo respeto por
las vicisitudes que ha padecido nuestro vecino del sur en el
pasado reciente, así como un profundo deseo de aprender
más sobre varios de los nombres mencionados en el libro,
principalmente, sobre el pequeño que estuvo a punto de
convertirse en el gobernante de un país." Bookslut.com
"Un
ejemplo soberbio de ficción histórica bien escrita.
Mayo aprovecha datos escasos y los complementa con la información
necesaria para guiar al lector por el camino lógico de
lo que pudo haber sido… un libro disfrutable por su elaborada
prosa y extraordinarios personajes".
Curledup.com
"El
último príncipe del Imperio Mexicano presenta una
investigación impecable bellamente narrada. Aquellos lectores
que disfruten las novelas históricas complejas y deseen
profundizar en este periodo de la historia de México,
seguramente gozarán la obra de Mayo". Caribou's Mom Book Blog
"Fascinante
recuento histórico narrado en una prosa tan amena y absorbente
que casi suena más a literatura que a realidad; en esencia,
podríamos decir que se trata de ambas. Por una parte,
desmiente el viejo adagio de Dorothy Parker de que las novelas
históricas no son ni novela ni historia. Y éste
es un libro sustentado en una amplia investigación, con
una organización brillante, que combina geopolítica,
finanzas internacionales, estrategia militar y, ¡ay! la
eterna lucha de una familia, un niño y, en el centro,
el corazón humano, escrito en un estilo literario maduro,
inteligente y maravillosamente informado".
Multicultural
Review
RE:
THE LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE (EL ÚLTIMO PRÍNCIPE
DEL IMPERIO MEXICANO)
de C.M. Mayo
ISBN 978-1-936071-61-6; Paperback; $16.95 US/$19.95 CAN; 6x9;
448 pages; Fiction
Para mayor información, favor de dirigirse a:
Caitlin Hamilton Summie
twitter.com/csummie
caitlin@unbridledbooks.com
888-732-3822, x104
Próximamente, más de
Unbridled Books
unbridledbooks.com
twitter.com/unbridledbooks
Cómo
el destino transformó un niño mitad estadounidense
en realeza mexicana
¿Quién sabía que
México una vez tuvo un príncipe mitad estadounidense?
¿O que el futuro de este pequeño niño fue
discutido con pasión no solamente en México sino
también en Washington, D.C. y en cada corte de Europa?
Dado que México
ha estado muy presente en las noticias últimamente, y
que ahora es el momento de entender mejor a nuestro vecino, la
novela de Mayo es importante, oportuna y apasionante.
El 5 de mayo 2009,
Unbridled Books
publicará una novela basada en este episodio histórico
poco conocido, The
Last Prince of the Mexican Empire de C. M. Mayo, ganadora
del galardón Flannery O’Connor Fiction Award y reconocida
traductora de literatura contemporánea mexicana que ha
vivido en México durante más de veinte años.
The Last Prince
of the Mexican Empire
es la historia completa jamás contada sobre un niño
mitad estadounidense, mitad mexicano, que, como en un cuento
de hadas, se convirtió en príncipe y después
en marioneta de la lucha a muerte por el destino de México.
Ambientada a mediados del siglo XIX, cuando Maximiliano de Habsburgo
se convirtió en Emperador de México, la novela
de Mayo es una historia sobre México, su lucha por una
identidad nacional en medio de disputas para lograr el control
de América, su complejidad, su rica historia, su belleza,
su cultura. El libro se publicará el día del aniversario
de la victoria mexicana sobre las tropas francesas en la ciudad
de Puebla.
En 1864, Maximiliano
y su cónyuge, Carlota, llegaron a la Ciudad de México.
Sin hijos, en 1865, Maximiliano aceptó la custodia del
Príncipe
Agustín de Iturbide de dos años de edad, quien
aparentemente sería su supuesto heredero. El niño
era nieto del primer emperador de México, líder
de la independencia mexicana ante España, que fue ejecutado
ante un pelotón de fusilamiento. El padre del niño,
un diplomático mexicano, y su madre, de una distinguida
familia de Washington, D.C., lamentaron la cesión de su
hijo de inmediato. Pero Maximiliano se negó a renunciar
al niño, lo que dio inicio a un escándalo internacional.
Booklist dijo: “Mayo resucita un triste cuento
al margen de la historia y teje artísticamente los
pocos detalles conocidos para producir una excelente novela histórica”.
Publishers Weekly expresó: “La reanimación
de Mayo de un período decisivo de la historia mexicana
debe satisfacer a los amantes de la historia y a aquellos que
desean disfrutar una atractiva historia colmada de majestuosa
ambición”.
C. M. Mayo
ha vivido y escrito sobre México durante muchos años.
Sus libros incluyen la memoria de viaje aclamada, Miraculous
Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the
Other Mexico y Sky
Over El Nido, que ganó el premio Flannery O'Connor
para cuento corto. Mayo, quien es una ávida traductora
de literatura contemporánea mexicana, también es
editora fundadora de Tameme
Chapbooks ~ Cuadernos. Además, ha editado la antología
Mexico:
A Traveler's Literary Companion. Ella divide su tiempo
entre Washington, D.C. y la Ciudad de México.
Realizará una
gira por las siguientes ciudades: Washington, D.C., Bethesda,
Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Corte Madera, Berkeley, Palo Alto,
Pasadena, Del Mar, La Jolla, y la Ciudad de México.
Para conocer la gira
completa y obtener información adicional, visite www.unbridledbooks.com
o www.cmmayo.com.
Para mayor información, favor de visitar la página
The Last
Prince of the Mexican Empire.
Timely
Novel Reveals Story of Half-American Child Who Became Mexican
Royalty
Who knew that Mexico
once had a half-American prince? Or that this little boy’s
future was hotly debated not just in Mexico but in Washington
D.C. and in every court in Europe?
On May 5th, Unbridled
Books will release a novel that illuminates this little known
history, C.M. Mayo’s THE LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE.
THE LAST PRINCE OF
THE MEXICAN EMPIRE is the never before completely told story
about a little half-American, half-Mexican boy who, as in a fairytale,
became a prince and then a pawn in the struggle-to-the-death
over Mexico's destiny. Set during the mid-19th century, when
Maximilian became Emperor of Mexico, Mayo’s novel becomes
a story of Mexico itself, its struggle for national identity
amidst the wrangling for control of the Americas, its complexity,
its rich history, its beauty, its culture.
In 1864, Maximilian
and his consort, Carlota, arrived in Mexico City propped up by
the influx of French troops. Childless, in 1865, Maximilian took
custody of—with all appearances that this would be his Heir
Presumptive—the two-year old Prince Agustín de Iturbide,
grandson of Mexico's first emperor, a leader of Mexico's Independence
from Spain, who had been executed before a firing squad. The
boy's father, a Mexican diplomat, and mother, a Washington D.C.
belle, immediately regretted their complicity. But Maximilian
refused to relinquish the child, sparking an international scandal.
Given that Mexico
remains much in the news, and that now is the time to better
understand our neighbor, Mayo’s novel is as timely and important
as it is engaging.
Booklist said, "Mayo
resurrects a sad story from the footnotes of history and embroiders
the few details known about it into a rich historical novel."
Publishers Weekly said, "Mayo's reanimation of a crucial
period in Mexican history should satisfy history buffs and those
in the mood for an engaging story brimming with majestic ambition."
C.M. Mayo has been
living in and writing about Mexico for many years. Her books
include the widely-lauded travel memoir, Miraculous Air: Journey
of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico,
and Sky Over El Nido, which won the Flannery O'Connor Award for
Short Fiction. An avid translator of contemporary Mexican literature,
Mayo is founding editor of Tameme Chapbooks ~ Cuadernos, and
has also edited the anthology Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion.
She divides her time between Washington D.C. and Mexico City.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
La traducción
al español de la novela The Last Prince of the Mexican
Empire se publicará en 2010. Favor de regresar próximamente
para mayor información.
El último
príncipe del Imperio Mexicano es una novela histórica sobre
el breve, trágico y a veces surrealista reinado del emperador
Maximiliano y su corte. Mientras al otro lado de la frontera
se desataba el fragor de la Guerra Civil, un grupúsculo
del clero y conservadores mexicanos en exilio convenció
a Luis Napoleón de invadir México e instalar al
archiduque de Austria, Maximiliano de Habsburgo, como emperador.
Un año más tarde y no teniendo hijos, Maximiliano
asumió la custodia y educación del príncipe
Agustín de Iturbide y Green, de dos años de edad
y mitad norteamericano, convertiéndolo en el heredero
del trono.
La reluctancia de Maximiliano para devolver el niño a
sus afligados padres, incluso cuando ya el Imperio se tambaleaba
y la emperatriz Carlota se precipitaba en la locura, provocó
un escándalo internacional.
Esta fastuosa épica se halla basada en la historia real
y viene a iluminar tanto las raíces culturales de México
como el desarrollo político de las Américas. Pero
lo que la hace más cautivadora es la profundidad de la
escritura de Mayo y su conocimiento de las presiones e influencias
que desempeñaron un papel sobre estos, demasiado humanos,
personajes. Su prosa lleva al lector a sentir México:
el sabor de la comida, el olor de las especias y las flores,
el calor. Mayo escribe para los sentidos, y para todas las épocas.
El último príncipe del Imperio Mexicano es
una historia al mismo tiempo arrolladora e íntima, una
historia sobre la geopolítica, el glamour de la realeza
y las jerarquías militares, sobre la arrogancia del poder,
los oscuros laberintos de la ambición y, sobre todo, la
historia de un niño que al final no fue un príncipe
sino un pequeño que pertenecía a sus padres.
—Traducción de Agustín Cadena
Booklist dijo:
“Mayo resucita un triste cuento al margen de la historia
y teje artísticamente
los pocos detalles conocidos
para producir una excelente novela histórica”.
Publishers
Weekly expresó:
“La reanimación de Mayo de un período decisivo
de la historia mexicana debe satisfacer a los amantes de la historia
y a aquellos que desean disfrutar una atractiva historia colmada
de majestuosa ambición”.
Comunicado de
prensa en español para la versión original en inglés,
el cual se publicó el 5 de mayo, 2009:
Cómo
el destino transformó un niño mitad estadounidense
en realeza mexicana
¿Quién
sabía que México una vez tuvo un príncipe
mitad estadounidense? ¿O que el futuro de este pequeño
niño fue discutido con pasión no solamente en México
sino también en Washington, D.C. y en cada corte de Europa?
Dado que México ha estado muy presente en las noticias
últimamente, y que ahora es el momento de entender mejor
a nuestro vecino, la novela de Mayo es importante, oportuna y
apasionante.
El 5 de mayo 2009,
Unbridled Books publicará una novela basada en este episodio
histórico poco conocido, The Last Prince of the Mexican
Empire de C.M. Mayo, ganadora del galardón Flannery
O’Connor Fiction Award y reconocida traductora de literatura
contemporánea mexicana que ha vivido en México
durante más de veinte años.
The Last Prince
of the Mexican Empire
es la historia completa jamás contada sobre un niño
mitad estadounidense, mitad mexicano, que, como en un cuento
de hadas, se convirtió en príncipe y después
en marioneta de la lucha a muerte por el destino de México.
Ambientada a mediados del siglo XIX, cuando Maximiliano de Habsburgo
se convirtió en Emperador de México, la novela
de Mayo es una historia sobre México, su lucha por una
identidad nacional en medio de disputas para lograr el control
de América, su complejidad, su rica historia, su belleza,
su cultura. El libro se publicará el día del aniversario
de la victoria mexicana sobre las tropas francesas en la ciudad
de Puebla.
En 1864, Maximiliano
y su cónyuge, Carlota, llegaron a la Ciudad de México.
Sin hijos, en 1865, Maximiliano aceptó la custodia del
Príncipe Agustín de Iturbide de dos años
de edad, quien aparentemente sería su supuesto heredero.
El niño era nieto del primer emperador de México,
líder de la independencia mexicana ante España,
que fue ejecutado ante un pelotón de fusilamiento. El
padre del niño, un diplomático mexicano, y su madre,
de una distinguida familia de Washington, D.C., lamentaron la
cesión de su hijo de inmediato. Pero Maximiliano se negó
a renunciar al niño, lo que dio inicio a un escándalo
internacional.
Booklist dijo: “Mayo resucita un triste cuento
al margen de la historia y teje artísticamente los
pocos detalles conocidos para producir una excelente novela histórica”.
Publishers Weekly expresó: “La reanimación
de Mayo de un período decisivo de la historia mexicana
debe satisfacer a los amantes de la historia y a aquellos que
desean disfrutar una atractiva historia colmada de majestuosa
ambición”.
C. M. Mayo ha vivido
y escrito sobre México durante muchos años. Sus
libros incluyen la memoria de viaje aclamada, Miraculous Air:
Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other
Mexico y Sky Over El Nido, que ganó el premio
Flannery O'Connor para cuento corto. Mayo, quien es una ávida
traductora de literatura contemporánea mexicana, también
es editora fundadora de Tameme Chapbooks ~ Cuadernos. Además,
ha editado la antología Mexico: A Traveler's Literary
Companion. Ella divide su tiempo entre Washington, D.C. y
la Ciudad de México.
Praise
for Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion, edited by C.M. Mayo
 "This book... may go on to find its place,
very naturally, as one of the outstanding contemporary works
on this country"
David
Huerta, El Universal, Mexico City
Click
here to read the full review
"This is a
book to throw in a suitcase or mochila (backpack) on the
way to Mexico or just settling into a favorite patio chair. It
will open your eyes, fill you with pleasure and render our perennial
vecinos a little less distante."
Los Angeles Times Book Review
Click
here to read the full review
"This delightful anthology
. . . allows readers who do not have roots in Mexico or who have
never traveled there a glimpse into the rich diversity of people
and landscape. For travelers, these selections enhance exploration
and offer vistas beyond the scope of the usual tourist guide.
For other readers, they provide a clearer understanding of the
cultural and social forces that shape today's Mexico. Highly
recommended."
Library
Journal
"Discovering
it was like opening a door and walking into a brightly lit room
filled with all kinds of literary treasures"
Mexico
Connect
"This
delicious volume has lovingly gathered a banquet of pieces that
reveal Mexico in all its infinite variety, its splendid geography,
its luminous peoples. What a treat!"
Margaret
Sayers Peden, editor, Mexican Writers on Writing
The
stories are as rich, diverse, colorful, and as full of surprises
as the country and the people they portray. The more I read,
the more interested I became to travel through Mexico again to
explore the remote and magical places described in the stories.
If you are planning a trip to Mexico and would like to explore
Mexico’s rich literary tradition, Mexico: A Traveler’s
Literary Companion is a great book to bring along.
Transitions
Abroad
Click
here to read the full review
Praise for the Traveler's
Literary Companion Series:
"We can hear a country speak and better
learn its secrets through the voices of its great writers. An
engaging series— a compelling idea, thoughtfully executed."
Isabel
Allende
"Each paperback
is an anthology of short stories by fine local writers—
a unique way to learn about a place."
National
Geographic Traveler
Praise
for Miraculous Air by C.M. Mayo
 "Perhaps the best
new book about Mexico (and — indirectly — its northern
neighbor) in many years.... This book has our highest recommendation.
It is a joy."
Interamerican Studies Institute
"A
breathtaking vision of the past, present, and future of [Baja
California]... Meticulously researched... a valuable combination
of historical and social study"
El Paso Times
"A luminous exploration
of Baja California, from its southern tip at Cabo San Lucas to
its 'lost city' of Tijuana... [Mayo] takes the fiction writer's
impulse and blends it with the instincts of a journalist to create
a work of nonfiction that elides into modern myth"
Los
Angeles Times Book Review
"This
is the one book that truly deserves the "highly recommended"
label for us Mexicophiles."
The
Mexico File
"Miraculous
Air is rich with its own evocative descriptions of the peninsula's
raw beauty.. Her journey of 1,000 miles is a trip worth taking."
The
San Diego Union-Tribune
"With
elegant prose and an artist's eye for detail, Mayo may just have
written one of the best books ever about Baja California. Highly
recommended"
Library
Journal
"Ay,
if only I had been at C.M. Mayo's side in her rendezvous through
Baja California... My recourse is her joyful, intellectually
sparkling chronicle"
Ilan
Stavans, author of The Hispanic Condition
"A
beguiling picture of an exasperating place 'where nothing is
as it seems,'
a place both 'touched with evil' and blessed with beauty and
hope...
a stunning portrait of Baja California"
Sara
Mansfield Taber, author of Dusk on the Campo
"C.M.
Mayo uses a reporter's instincts, an artist's eye, and a deft
literary touch to create visions of Baja California to delight
those who know it best and offers a knowing introduction to others
who resort to the pleasures of these pages. A sensitive and knowing
over-view of a place and a people so near and yet so far from
the
U.S. or Mexico."
Harry
W. Crosby, author of Antigua California
Praise
for Sky Over El Nido by C.M. Mayo
 "Mayo's work is
reminiscent of Flannery O'Connor's.
And like
that old master, Mayo is addictive and her collection has a unity
that is very satifying."
Booklist
"A
remarkable literary debut... tautly fashioned prose, alive with
myriad turns of phrase as on-target as they are idiosyncratic."
Publisher's
Weekly (starred
review)
"hauntingly,
humorously beautiful"
Austin
Chronicle
"C.M.
Mayo writes some of the most exquisitely fashioned, perfectly
measured prose alive in the world today. Her stories glitter
with delicious odd details. They feel electrically charged, richly
mysterious, and rhythmic. I love her layering of cultures, her
offbeat humor, her potent instinct for voices. Bravo! Captivating!
Yes, yes, yes!"
Naomi
Shihab Nye
"The
haywire circuits of our whole electrically but not ethically
connected global village stand exposed in Mayo's work. Sky
Over El Nido won the 1995 Flannery O'Connor Award for Short
Fiction. I am not surprised."
David
Toolan, S.J., Commonweal
"Sky
Over El Nido is a breath-taking first collection... These
stories are vibrant, strange, loaded with off-beat humor, exquisite
detail, and delivered with near-perfect pitch. Sky Over El
Nido shimmers with life."
The
Virginia Quarterly Review
Praise
for "The Essential Francisco Sosa or, Picadou's Mexico City"
an essay (and audio CD) by C.M. Mayo
 Winner, Lowell Thomas Award for Best
Personal Comment
Winner, Washington Independent Writers, Best Essay
“Even in the
outstanding category of original and powerful entries, Mayo’s
story stands out. The author interprets the beauty and pain of
Mexico City while walking her dog. A technique that might seem
too whimsical to sustain meaning (especially throughout such
a long piece) is handled so subtly that it gradually envelops
the reader in such a way that the city’s character becomes
real”
Lowell
Thomas Award Committee (members of the Missouri School of Journalism
faculty)
“With artistry
and perception, [Mayo provides] a vivid canine’s eye view
of a neighborhood as well as a perspective on the history, sociology
and probable future of a great metropolis”
Washington
Independent Writers Award Committee
Praise
for Tameme (C.M. Mayo, Founding Editor)
Praise for Tameme's
first chapbook, Mexican writer Agustín Cadena's short
story "Carne verde, piel negra" translated by C.M.
Mayo as "An Avocado from Michoacán"
 “The appearance
of Tameme Chapbooks / Cuadernos #1 is an overwhelming success.
Its vibrant four-color cover and expert design beautifully and
subtly underlies Tameme’s important mission to promote artistic
collaborations between English and Spanish translators and writers
from Canada, the U.S. and Mexico... a resounding celebration
of a new beginning for this necessary venture in publishing.”
Harry
Morales, leading English / Spanish literary translator
"This is a beautiful,
evocative short story that's also handsomely produced."
Daniel
Olivas, author of Devil Talk: Stories (Bilingual Press), La Bloga
"A poetically
spare story of love and loss... Reading this beautiful chapbook
gave me insight into the writing and translation process... a
delicious glimpse behind the scenes."
Leslie
Pietrzyk, author of A Year and a Day and Pears on a Willow Tree
"[A] really well
put together chapbook. Tameme has been consistent in regards
to one specific thing, everything they print is bilingual—
the material is translated and as you turn the pages, the left
side of the book is in the original Spanish, and the right side
is the translated English. With the chapbook series, Mayo, who
is also the publisher at Tameme, has also included her translator's
notes, which are fascinating in their own right, and an interview,
which is also bilingual in print. All combined, the chapbook
is a very visually stunning book of 24 pages. The story itself
is full of imagery...a great pace to it, and the images that
the old woman and the narrator both bring out in their conversations
are beautiful."
Dan
Wickett, Emerging Writers Network
Praise for Tameme,
the literary journal (1999-2003)
 "A kind of cultured,
literary response to NAFTA... provocative and satisfying...
The translations are superb"
Leora
Zeitlin, Bloomsbury Review
"Tameme
is just what I need: a treat — a cornucopia of good stuff
to read — and a trot — enough of a crutch to let me
pretend I can handle literary Spanish."
Howard
Junker, Editor, Zyzzyva
"[Tameme
is] wonderful discovery... Look at it as a collection of well-written,
accessibly enjoyable literature, as a window onto two cultures,
or as a gentle guide to learning another language; whichever
way, it is an important addition to the roster of literary magazines."
Nadine
S. St. Louis, Literary Magazine Review
Praise for
C.M. Mayo's writing workshops
"Techniques
of Fiction" 2 day workshop in San Miguel de Allende, 2/
2009:
"This workshop was jam-packed with practical techniques!
I feel I suddenly have the inside secrets that distinguish extraordinary
writing— and even I can do them! Imagine. Great writing
can be learned.
Susan
Page
Wonderful
nuts and bolts workshop. Writers of all levels should not miss
it!
Sterling
Bennett
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