In this book, Barbara E. Mundy does a masterful job of tracing the history and development of Tenochtitlan/Mexico City from the times of the Mexica well into the Spanish colonial period, with significant insights into the current era. The book includes nearly one hundred black-and-white and, where appropriate, color images. This is a rich work that is filled with insights and significant conclusions. Quite simply, it is a tour de force.
Generally speaking, the book is organized chronologically. The first three chapters focus on the Mexica occupation of the city, with the next six chapters being more closely rooted in the colonial period. The final chapter recapitulates and provides additional insights and conclusions. Yet, this facile division belies the deep complexity of the work wherein each chapter is also dense with reflections of other periods. As a result, it cannot—should not—be read in snippets, taking a chapter out of context....
