Yankee Invasion

A Novel of Mexico City

By Ignacio Solares
Translated by Timothy G. Compton
Introduction by Carlos Fuentes

Yankee Invasion: A Novel of Mexico City centers on one of the most traumatic periods of Mexican history: the 1847 American invasion of Mexico City, which resulted in Mexico losing nearly half its land. Abelardo, the narrator, is haunted by an act of resistance he committed against an American soldier. Now an old man, he also recalls his painful love for his fiancée—and her mother. Originally published in Mexico as La invasión, author Ignacio Solares is one of Mexico’s most respected writers and academics.

“Yankee Invasion is historical fiction infused with an ontological and existential quest and a love story. There is no apparent loss of impact in Timothy G. Compton's English translation. Solares' prose contains a lyricism and a musicality that sings off the page.” —ForeWord Magazine

“A … memorable novel—one that speaks volumes about how Mexicans, or at least the Mexican intelligentsia, views norteamericanos.” — Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2009

“While the Americans were the enemy who took half of Mexico’s territory … the young nation had other enemies at home: a corrupt army, a clash between conservatives and liberals, and a weak national identity. But what really defeated the Mexicans was Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna’s inability to govern the nation’s vast territory.”
— Tania Lara, Austin American-Statesman

more …