by Amy E. Wright (Author)
Honorable Mention, Katherine Singer Kovacs Prize, Modern Language Association, 2023
Honorable Mention, Premio al Mejor Libro en Humanidades, Latin American Studies Association-Mexico Section, 2025
No book until now has tied in two centuries of Mexican serial narratives-tales of glory, of fame, and of epic characters, grounded in oral folklore-with their subsequent retelling in comics, radio, and television soap operas. Wright's multidisciplinary
Serial Mexico delves into this storytelling tradition: examining the nostalgic tales reimagined in novelas, radionovelas, telenovelas and onwards, and examining the foundational figures who have been woven into society.
This panorama shows the Mexican experience of storytelling from the country's early days until now, showcasing protagonists that mock authority, make light of hierarchy, and embrace the hybridity and mestizaje of Mexico. These tales reflect on and respond to crucial cultural concerns such as family, patriarchy, gender roles, racial mixing, urbanization, modernization, and political idealism.
Serial Mexico thus examines how serialized storytelling's melodrama and sensationalism reveals key political and cultural messaging.
In a detailed yet accessible style, Wright describes how these stories have continued to morph with current times' concerns and social media. Will tropes and traditions carry on in new and reimagined serial storytelling forms? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for the next episode.
Back Jacket
Latin American Studies / Literary Studies
Author Biography
Amy Wright is an associate professor of Hispanic studies at Saint Louis University.
Number of Pages: 302
Dimensions: 0.94 x 9 x 6 IN
Illustrated: Yes
Publication Date: July 01, 2023
