Product Description
A panoramic literary portrait of Mexico City— a vibrant, seductive, paradoxical city now commanding the world’s attention and showing us the way to the future of urban life.

David Lida moved to Mexico City fifteen years ago in search of a kind of culture, energy, and spontaneity that he thought had been lost in his native New York City. What he found was a thriving, miraculous urban center comprising centuries of living history, even as its rapid development was making it a prominent force on the world stage. Through the eyes of an American who has become an insider, First Stop in the New World is a street-level panorama of contemporary Mexico City—from the high arts to the sex industry; from the dense jungle of urban politics to the interactions of everyday commerce; from one end of this five-hundred-square-mile city to the other. Lida expertly captures the kaleidoscopic nature of life in a city defined by pleasure and danger, justice and lawlessness, ecstatic joy and appalling tragedy—in limbo between the developed and developing worlds.

While London and Paris have become more homogenous, less captivating, and less surprising since the days when Dickens and Balzac wrote about them, Mexico City points to our urban future—if Manhattan was, as posited by Rem Koolhaas, the urban “Rosetta Stone of the twentieth century,” Mexico City will play that same role in the twenty-first. And with his personal, literary-journalistic account, David Lida will serve as the ultimate chronicler of this exciting city at a vital moment in its history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

No better expat view on Mexico City
Any expat planning to live in Mexico City needs to have this book.Although very helpful and interesting for the traveler or visitor to Mexico City, this book is really for the person that decides to stay for a while.David's fantastic writing could have kept me turning hundreds of more pages.

What insight!
I lived in Mexico for two years while serving a mission for my church and much of this side of Mexico was not revealed to me until now. This insight into the Mexican psyche is very interesting and while not written by a native Mexican I feel I can trust his stories. The book presents a fun read and for any mexiphile (aficionado of Mexico) it is well worth your time.

vanilla
Disappointingly bland for anyone already reasonably well read on the subject matter.I share the author's fascination with Mexico City and thus am a receptive audience, yet still found the book to border on tedious and the writing less than engaging. The writing seems a bit random and disjointed and fails to convey the the essence of the city, which I suspect is yet to be written.Perhaps better received by those with less familiarity.

POTENTIAL GRINGO RETIREES READ THIS FIRST
I am neither a literary critic nor an expert on Mexico City itself BUT I do own a grand historic home (we are part-timers) in Capital Guanajuato and I do know how SYSTEMIC the corruption is from my own personal experience...You may ask, why would ANYONE want to live here till they die and as a principal residence? Only God himself knows that answer. David's book reveals his love for Mexico and the apparent contradiction between it and the absolute chaos and systemic corruption in all phases of life here...I love Mexico too but at what price? Dysfunctional relationship? You bet. EVERYONE has a price here from the top federal officials down to the smallest pueblo...Also PURCHASE the movie "LA LEY DE HERODES" (with English subtitles) here at Amazon. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING has changed in Mexico in a century...Do you still want to retire here? Then, by all means, do...but NEVER move here without keeping your place back in your other world for a few years or more. Mexico remains third world bordering on fourth. The water in Mexico remains a powerful metaphor for where it stands in the community of nations. The drug wars represent only one aspect of the corruption here because it is so apparent and violent. Normal Mexican business practices are virtually the same except that the perpetrators are in suits and with less public carnage for television. The ordinary people of Mexico remain a wonderful culture but continue to be victimized by colonizers such as Coca Cola and all those fellow Mexicans and foreigners who exploit, without a moment's hesitation, a nation of already extreme poverty (more than 60%). Shame on those foreigners who exploit (for a pittance) the Mexican health care system engineered for the Mexican people in need and who are helping to drain it dry of funds. These same foreigners will go through the red tape of a resident visa and, as a benefit, obtain an ID card entitling them to purchase cheap health insurance and a 50% discount on a 40 cent local bus ride. Have we no shame as foreigners?

Very entertaining and informative portrait of Mexico City and its people
I read this book before and during my first trip to Mexico City which I just got back from.David Lida has worked as a freelance journalist in Mexico City for almost 20 years and clearly understands both the city, its culture, and its inhabitants of all social strata very well.Reading this book enhanced my appreciation of Mexico City and its people, enriching my visit.

Lida's saliva-enducing chapter on Mexico's street food and budget eateries encouraged my wife and me to try things that we otherwise might have skipped.We enjoyed various tacos and enchiladas from street vendors.Additionally, the dinner of tacos, tortas, and several beers that we had for 200 pesos at the Fonda Santa Rita in Almeda was absolutely delicious and a much better value than the 3 course menu and bottle of wine that cost us 2,000 pesos at the posh La Valentina in Polanco the night before. (We did enjoy our meal at La Valentina very much; the food and wine were good and the wait staff was very friendly and helpful.)More importantly, the realization that the staff at our hotel, and the restaurants and museums we visited probably commuted 2 or 3 hours to get to work made me appreciate their courteous and friendly service that much more.

However, I don't want to give you the false impression that Lida's book is some sort of tourist guide. It is really a collection of essays that paint a vivid picture of Mexico City and the chilangos or defeños who inhabit it.He discusses many topics including: the unequal distribution of wealth, the economic resourcefulness of Mexico's poorer chilangos, the spoiled lifestyle of the Mexican elite, the inadequacies of Mexico's infrastructure and politics, the impact of globalization and Walmartization, the unique strains of Mexican Christianity, local attitudes about sex and sexuality, and Mexican cuisine, nightlife, and art. Lida is an excellent writer; each of his chapters is well constructed, interesting, and informative.Many are also entertaining and amusing.Lida's style is casual and flexible; he handles exposition of facts and figures as adeptly as he narrates stories about his own personal experiences in Mexico.What makes his book most successful, however, are the many distinctive portraits he paints of various Mexicans including drunkards in cantinas, a drug addict living in the street, a newspaper hawker, professional wrestlers, prostitutes, a devout young man who plays Jesus in the Easter Passion of Iztapalapa, a taxi driver energized by onions, a fading cabaret singer, along with Mexican artists, socialites, politicians, and academics.Lida is wise enough to step back and primarily convey Mexico City through the stories of its people.

Having described the book as a collection of essays, I want to assure you that it has a unified feel.If Lida previously published some of the chapters in magazines or newspapers, he almost certainly rewrote them for this book.All the chapters deserve inclusion and are aimed at the target audience of non-Mexicans.Additionally, Lida provides interesting analysis of future possibilities for Mexico City in the 21st century; he sees Mexico as being a prototypical capital city of the new century, similar to other hypermetropoli like Mumbai, Shanghai, Istanbul, São Paulo, and Cairo.For Americans looking to visit and understand these hypermetropoli, none is closer than Mexico City.After reading this book and spending 4 days there, I strongly encourage more Americans to visit Mexico City.It is a very interesting and fun place to visit and will change your perceptions of Mexico and Mexicans which for too many Americans is sadly based on illegal immigrants and Mexican beach resorts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

ridiculous, only a small detail - NOT THE NORTH, TRAM, OR BALOON FIESTA PARK
JUST A SMALL PART OF THE CENTRAL ALBUQUERQUE, WHEN I NEEDED THE NORTH, FOR THE BALLOON FIESTA AND SURROUNDINGS

A great map
A couple of years ago, I got involved in creating the (currently stalled) Albuquerque Urban Trail--a proposed long-distance hiking trail that would run from the volcanoes on Albuquerque's west side to Sandia Peak on its east, zigzagging for over 200 miles into its every district along the way--and this was the map used to plot it out.
This map was perfect for the job, too, because of its detail and its completeness.It's a good map, and because of my work with that trail I've bought nearly a dozen copies of it.
I'll just say this: if you need a map of Albuquerque, then get this one.I can almost guarantee it will be more than sufficient for your needs.All the streets are here, the arroyos, the parks, the geographical features, and it's well-indexed and laid out.
It's good.You'll like it. ... Read more

Product Description
This detailed map of Las Cruces, New Mexico has complete coverage for the city and surrounding area, with an inset map for downtown, plus most major tourist and business districts. When you flip the map over, you will find a complete street index and a "city and vicinity" map of the entire metro area. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is a convincing, often exhilarating vision of a new Latino culture that bubbles from San Salvador to L.A. and that embraces cumbia and hip-hop, anarchists and Catholic priests. The Other Side describes a future that--for some of us--has already arrived. Photographs throughout. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Buildings and Structures in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Buildings and Structures in Santa Fe, New Mexico, List of University of New Mexico Buildings, Santa Fe Opera, New Mexico State Capitol, Winrock Shopping Center, Alvarado Transportation Center, Cottonwood Mall (Albuquerque, New Mexico), Santa Fe Place, Museum of International Folk Art, Georgia O'keeffe Museum, Alamosa Skatepark Environment, Cliff's Amusement Park, Santa Fe Railway Shops, Ernie Pyle House/library, Kimo Theater, Estufa, Lensic Theater, New Mexico Museum of Art, Pete V. Domenici United States Courthouse, Scottish Rite Temple (Santa Fe, New Mexico), Albuquerque New Mexico Temple, Federal Building and U.s. Courthouse (Albuquerque, New Mexico), San Felipe de Neri Church, Sunshine Building, Old Albuquerque High School, Second Chance Center, de Vargas Street House, University of New Mexico Hospital, Jones Motor Company, Old Post Office (Albuquerque, New Mexico), Southwestern Brewery and Ice Company, Metropolitan Courthouse, Park Plaza Condominiums, Davis House (Albuquerque, New Mexico), Lobo Theater, Aztec Auto Court. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 115. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: This list of University of New Mexico buildings catalogs the currently-existing UNM-owned structures that reside within the Albuquerque metropolitan area, the home of the university's main campus. Buildings in the sortable table below are initially listed alphabetically. ...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=22569441 ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from World Policy Journal, published by World Policy Institute on September 22, 1997. The length of the article is 4855 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Cuauhtemoc Cardenas emerged as the landslide winner of the first mayoral election in Mexico City, Mexico, while his party, the Party of the Democratic Revolution garnered 38 out of 40 legislative districts in the city. Meanwhile, as Cardenas' political future becomes brighter, Pres Ernesto Zedillo's popularity has declined as evidenced by losses incurred by his party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party. If Cardenas and his party will continue to gain the approval of voters, he might end up as the next president of Mexico.

Citation Details
Title: Aztec sun rising: the Cardenas challenge. (new Mexico City, Mexico, mayor Cuauhtemoc Cardenas)
Author: Andrew Reding
Publication: World Policy Journal (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1997
Publisher: World Policy Institute
Volume: v14Issue: n3Page: p63(8)

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from SourceMex Economic News & Analysis on Mexico, published by Latin American Data Base/Latin American Institute on August 28, 2002. The length of the article is 1821 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY SAYS DECISION ON NEW MEXICO CITY AIRPORT MAY NOT COME FOR ANOTHER THREE YEARS.
Publication: SourceMex Economic News & Analysis on Mexico (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 28, 2002
Publisher: Latin American Data Base/Latin American Institute


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Product Description
This digital document is an article from SourceMex Economic News & Analysis on Mexico, published by Latin American Data Base/Latin American Institute on March 7, 2001. The length of the article is 771 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: COMMUNITIES IN HIDALGO, MEXICO STATES IN HEATED COMPETITION FOR NEW MEXICO CITY AIRPORT.
Publication: SourceMex Economic News & Analysis on Mexico (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 7, 2001
Publisher: Latin American Data Base/Latin American Institute
Page: NA

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from SourceMex Economic News & Analysis on Mexico, published by Latin American Data Base/Latin American Institute on July 17, 2002. The length of the article is 1672 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: PROTESTORS FORCE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER WHETHER TO PROCEED WITH CONSTRUCTION OF NEW MEXICO CITY AIRPORT.
Publication: SourceMex Economic News & Analysis on Mexico (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 17, 2002
Publisher: Latin American Data Base/Latin American Institute
Page: NA

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Product Description
This digital document is an article from SourceMex Economic News & Analysis on Mexico, published by Latin American Data Base/Latin American Institute on August 29, 2001. The length of the article is 1454 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS DELAY ANNOUNCEMENT OF LOCATION FOR NEW MEXICO CITY AIRPORT.
Publication: SourceMex Economic News & Analysis on Mexico (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 29, 2001
Publisher: Latin American Data Base/Latin American Institute
Page: NA

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Product Description
Step back in time with Six-Guns and Single-Jacks as Bob Alexander colorfully recounts tales of the violence and lawlessness that made Silver City and Old Grant County, New Mexico, one of the most dangerous places in the Southwest. Silver City's history, previously known only to a small cadre of Western enthusiasts, comes to life in the form of a violent cultural collision. There, settlers and Apache struggled for control of this rugged mountain haven, while later the likes of Billy the Kid used it as a launching pad for a lifetime of crime.Alexander has synthesized his years of researching and writing about this corner of the Old West into a comprehensive history of those colorful pre-statehood days, illustrated with more than 80 rare historic photos that Alexander ferreted out from a wide variety of sources. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Silver City and Southwestern New Mexico Comes alive
Bob Alexander's book on the history of Silver City and Southwestern New Mexico is a gem for all old west readers.It is a superbly researched book of this region, especially Grant County, New Mexico.Notable characters like Kit Carson, Billy the Kid, Geronimo, Victorio, The Earps and many others are well represented in this study.Mr. Alexander has now joined the ranks of other famed writers of the genre.

Mike Koch, author of "The Kimes Gang."

-from a former Silver City resident--
--interesting and well done.I lived in Silver City twenty-five years ago (before it turned totally tourist and retiree-oriented)--have always been surprised that Sheriff Dan Tucker isn't better known--there was a man for the bad guys to avooid-- ... Read more