March to the Monteria

Rating:
Summary: Relentless, gripping, enlightening tale.
Review: Read this in a British translation many years ago. After all these years it remains for me the most memorable of the "jungle" novels by Traven. Of course, all of them are exceptional, and all should be read. This novel has the ring of truth, a truth that indicts the comfortable and complacent, a truth from which most of us would like to avert our gaze, but truth nonetheless. This is Traven at his most powerful.

Rating:
Summary: A disturbing story, could have been better translated
Review: This is a spellbinding and disturbing story about the abuse suffered by the indians of southern Mexico at the hands of the large logging companies as well as the more "elite" classes. The translation is flawed, however. For example "jefecito" is translated as "little chief" which, while being literally correct is not what is meant which is "dear chief", a term of respect given by the "inferior" indian to his boss.

Rating:
Summary: Relentless, gripping, enlightening tale.
Review: This is a spellbinding and disturbing story about the abuse suffered by the indians of southern Mexico at the hands of the large logging companies as well as the more "elite" classes. The translation is flawed, however. For example "jefecito" is translated as "little chief" which, while being literally correct is not what is meant which is "dear chief", a term of respect given by the "inferior" indian to his boss.

Rating:
Summary: Powerful story
Review: Traven's Jungle series is the gripping saga of the Mexican struggle for hope and dignity.