Octavio Paz has long been acknowledged as Mexico's foremost writer and
critic. In this international classic, Paz has written one of the most
enduring and powerful works ever created on Mexico and its people,
character, and culture. Compared to Ortega y Gasset's The Revolt of the
Masses for its trenchant analysis, this collection contains his most
famous work, "The Labyrinth of Solitude," a beautifully written and
deeply felt discourse on Mexico's quest for identity that gives us an
unequaled look at the country hidden behind "the mask." Also included
are "The Other Mexico," "Return to the Labyrinth of Solitude," "Mexico
and the United States," and "The Philanthropic Ogre," all of which
develop the themes of the title essay and extend his penetrating
commentary to the United States and Latin America.