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One thing I find kind of sad in Mexico is that so few Mexicanos read. Somebody quoted some statistic to me indicating that a very low percentage (I forget the exact number) of Mexicanos read for either information or pleasure. A traveler doesn´t need statistics to support this conclusion.
First, bookstores are regrettably few and far between. Second, when you find one, the selection is frequently pretty dismal. I´ve just returned from browsing in one of the 2 or 3 bookstores that San Cristobal (a university town) has to offer. There are some texts available for area-specific subjects (e.g., the history of the laws of a particular indigenous group). But in one store I couldn´t find anything by either Octavio Paz or Carlos Fuentes. I couldn´t even find something by Garcia Marquez (!). I did find 2 copies of something by the Uruguayan Cortazar, but this was only notable by the absence of any other South American writers. I did find Edgar Allen Poe, shelved under Allen. I couldn´t even find Isabel Allende. There are lots of translations of "classics" by European and American authors.
One of my teachers complained to me that her 6 year old son is learning in school the Grimm fairy tale of the Musicians of Bremen. Sure, she said, it´s fine that they learn some of the Grimm fairy tales, but there are dozens of great stories (cuentos) with Latin American, if not indigenous, origins that they should be acquainted with first. I couldn´t agree with her more. Alas, this is probably yet another example of the all-pervasive inferiority complex that some latin americans, but particularly Mexicans, seem to exhibit.
Third, the books are TERRIBLY expensive. A slim paperback volume of short stories goes for $10. The only used books are Grisham-type novels in English left behind by traveling gringos. The maids probably pick up a few pesos by picking them out of hotel waste baskets and selling them to the local bookstores. (El que no transa, no avanza).
Fourth, all the books are bound in shrink-wrap, making it impossible to peruse the first couple of pages to see if it might be something I´d like to buy. What a shame!
There are two kinds of newspapers: the "cheap" ones (they still cost at least 50 cents, pretty steep by Mexican standards) and consist of gory photos of car crashes and boring local news. If the paper is any good, it goes for $1.10 to $1.50. Ouch! Double ouch, when you consider that only 2 out of the 30 pages of the newspaper covers news other than domestic Mexican politics.
To add insult to injury, everyone says that the newspapers are all alike in their fear of the government and only print what won´t upset sitting politicians (with some notable exceptions like La Jornada ((maybe)) and the magazine Proceso). I find it ironic that in Venezuela, there was and I assume still is a thriving and controversial free press which frequently pillories Mr. Chavez. Mexico could learn a lesson from Venezuela in freedom of the press.
Several weeks ago, I entered a huge mall in Guadalajara. At the entrance, I looked for a large sign, the usual map with the arrow "You are here." I couldn´t find one. There was indeed an information counter with quite a few people crowding around to ask directions of the teenage girl behind it. Only then I realized of course they don´t have a big directional sign. It would require 1) that people read and 2) that they understand how to interpret a map. That´s why there´s the girl behind the counter.
Instead of reading, Mexicanos watch TV news and listen to the radio. I´ve heard it said that Mexicanos have acquired a partial understanding of Mexican history like never before by virtue of the fact that some of the telenovelas have an historical theme. Regrettably, this means everyone, even Porfirio Diaz, is made to look like a hero.
In addition to tv and radio, sound trucks ply the streets with loudspeakers announcing the sale, this day only, of something or other. I´ve heard the same announcement every day for over 2 weeks from one of the trucks. Even the bottled water delivery truck drives down the street with loudspeakers blaring the virtues of their product. Well, enough of this. I´m taking off to go buy some water. It´s on sale today only. Hasta luego!