We the Barbarians: Three Mexican Writers in the Twenty-First Century

We the Barbarians is a critical analysis of Mexican fiction that explores the ways in which the transformations of national culture intersect with global developments, discussing the insertion of literary works at transnational levels. It analyzes the uses of language, urban and rural subcultures, and the thematic innovations introduced through the genre of chronicles, science fiction, journalism, and autobiographical writing. It also explores alternative symbolic representations of topics such as nationalism, community, and affect in times impacted by systemic violence, precariousness, and radical inequality.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 408 pages
Publication date: 31 May 2024
Publisher: Vanderbilt University Press

We the Barbarians is a comprehensive and meticulous examination of three prominent Mexican fiction authors: Yuri Herrera, Fernanda Melchor, and Valeria Luiselli. Originally published in Mexico in December 2021, the book delves into the analysis of each author's narrative production across three parts. By examining their literary works from the beginning of their writing careers to 2021, the book offers a diachronic perspective on their narrative projects and allows for comparative analyses of their aesthetic and ideological contours. Mexican visual and literary arts have been grappling with the fragmentation of civil society and the breakdown of myths that accompanied the consolidation of the modern nation. We the Barbarians explores how these transformations of national culture intersect with global developments, examining the insertion of literary works at transnational levels. The authors studied employ innovative language techniques, incorporating regional idiolects, colloquialisms, slang, and neologisms from diverse cultural registers, including social media terminologies. Urban and rural subcultures intertwine with traditional currents and the languages of film, performance, and popular music. Thematically, the book introduces innovations through genres such as chronicles, science fiction, journalism, and autobiographical writing, resulting in powerful combinations that re-interpret and revitalize canonical authors for a changing and diverse audience.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780826506696