B. Traven: A Vision of Mexico (Latin American Silhouettes)

B. Traven, best known for the novel behind the motion picture The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, was one of the most widely read writers of his time. From his 1924 arrival in Mexico as an exile from Weimar Germany to the end of his literary career in 1940, Traven's 'proletarian adventure stories' brought to life the turmoil of his adopted land for millions of readers worldwide. Author of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and other popular novels about Mexico, B. Traven surrounded his identity with mysteries designed to confound biographers. Now Heidi Zogbaum has produced a study of this enigmatic yet important author, linking his oeuvre with both Mexican and German politics of the 1920s and 1930s. Contents Acknowledgments Foreword Introduction 1 Traven in Tampico: A Revolutionary in Paradise 2 Land des Frühlings: Ode to the Mexican Revolution 3 Discovery of the Mexican Indian 4 The Turning of the Tide 5 The Monterías: The Unknown Hell 6 The End of a Great Vision Conclusion Notes Bibliography Index Arranged chronologically, this study takes the reader through Traven's career, from his arrival in Mexico to his final writings in 1940. Detailed discussions of all his novels are provided, showing how Mexican history inspired him and shaped his work.