For Mesoamericanists in their leisure hours

[Paul Anderson]

Dear listeros,
My apologies for any cross-postings. I wanted to let you know of the  
release of the novel Hunger's Brides this week in the U.S. and U.K.  
in hardcover, and in paperback in Canada.

Based on the life of Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz in 17th-century  
Mexico, the book's early chapters give special emphasis to the  
influences of the prehispanic world and Nahua culture during her  
childhood years in Nepantla and  Amecameca. I am far from the first  
to note such influences in her work, of course, but I think it's fair  
to say that the breadth of interest Hunger's Brides takes in these  
issues represents a departure from the established portrait of Sor  
Juana in her time and place.

It fascinated me to consider elements of her story, particularly her  
withdrawal from the world and mortification at the hands of her  
persecutors, in the context of the great mythic narratives of the  
Valley of Mexico -- Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Topiltzin, to  
name a few. I drew also upon many of the images we have of feminine  
figures in Aztec mythology and was particularly intrigued by Susan  
Gillespie's then unpublished doctoral work on the Aztec "women of  
desiny". As well, the book takes up various legends and mythically- 
resonant historical events: the uprisings led by Martin Ocelotl and  
Andres Mixcoatl offer one example.

I had also wanted present a somewhat complex moral view of the Aztec  
world -- to acknowledge both the darkness and the cultural glories,  
but also the humanity of daily life. The riddles and proverbs  
translated by Thelma Sullivan in the superb _A Scattering of Jades_  
allowed me to offer readers glimpses into some of the whimsy and  
metaphorical richness of popular speech, as another window on the  
Nahua world.

For anyone interested, an excerpt showing Sullivan's work put to the  
service of this end can be found here:
http://www.hungersbrides.com/novel_abecedario.html

I'll stop here. It's a pleasure to be able to offer you my thanks and  
to acknowledge the collegial spirit so often in evidence on this list.

Best wishes,
Paul Anderson

A few links, for you, or for any of your students who might be  
interested.


****************************************************************
a sampling of excerpts pertaining to the Conquest
http://www.hungersbrides.com/mezo_conquest.html

interactive discussion guides for reading groups, broken into three  
roles: reader, moderator, author
http://www.hungersbrides.com/BookClubsCentral.html

slide-shows of images taken from Sor Juana's former convent in Mexico  
City and her newly restored childhood home near Amecameca
http://www.hungersbrides.com/gallery.html

a multimedia introduction to the novel (click on "A baroque century  
ends")
http://www.hungersbrides.com/player_320.html

a digital-video interview with Las voces de Sor Juana, a group of  
young music students of the CNA discussing Sor Juana and her  
significance for them today
http://www.hungersbrides.com/player_audio_vsj.html

At the moment our Spanish language page is in disarray -- apologies  
to the hispanohablantes -- but there is a page for the german edition  
at: http://www.hungersbrides.com/storeroom_deutsch.html


*********************************************************
Paul Anderson, Hunger's Brides.
http://www.hungersbrides.com
Based on the life of Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz in 17th-century Mexico.
Published by: Random House (Canada), Carroll & Graf (US), Rubikon  
(Serbia), Constable & Robinson (UK), Pendo Verlag (Germany).


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