Victor,
I think your idea of sharing the genealogical information found in various
books is a great idea. Then if someone wants to read more of the book for
him/herself, they can order the book or borrow it.
I have a very old book, parts of which I will transcribe and send to the
group if there is any interest in it. It was given to me in the 1960's in
Mexico City by my husband's aunt, a profesora. She told me it would
provide me a very concise picture of the history of Mexico, since I told her I
knew nothing of my father's homeland. I think she may have used the book
in her classes. She taught English, so I don't know. The book is
called "Historia de Mexico". The frontispiece says "Apuntes de Historia de
Mexico (Edicion Privada) 1951, Impreso por Editores E Impresores, Beatriz de
Silva, S. A., Avenida Juarez 104, Mexico, D. F." It has no authors
listed. It has a bibliography and an Indice that is really just a table of
contents. I was hoping for an Index like I'm used to that lists names,
places, etc. in alphabetical order.
It covers quite a lot in its 221 pages produced in very small font (another
reason I am having trouble reading it). It has several "cuadros
sinopticos". It is in three parts and starts with prehistoric times,
"Mexico Precortesiano", and goes through "Mexico Colonial" and ends with "Mexico
Independiente". It describes the major Indian tribes, the conquistadores,
virreyes, razas, castas, occupations, society, intellectual pursuits, the arts,
the missionaries, settlements, revolutions, battles, Inquisition, government,
accomplishments, etc.
The book is falling apart and its pages have turned brown and
brittle. It also stinks, and I cough a lot when trying to read it. I
find I can understand just about everything it says (which happens to me in
other languages---I can read and understand just about everything, just can't
think fast enough on my feet to speak in those languages). I have it
sitting by the furnace outlet. Usually this dries up and dissipates the
mold that is causing me to cough.
Emilie Garcia
Port Orchard, WA ---
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 7:25
AM
Subject: Re: [ranchos] Re: La Antorcha
Encendida y La Sumaria Relacion
Hello Victor:
I know this was addressed to Joseph, but I couldn't help but
overhear! It sounds like a wonderful set of ideas. Book reviews
are good because most of us have limited time and to be directed to good,
useful or interesting books is critical. On the other hand,
it would be a real service to catalog vital information from certain
books so that everyone doesn't have to search through the same books. It
would be a great reliable bank everyone could draw from. But we
have to give credit where credit is due....Alicia did get this
started.
Isn't it great? The group weaves in and out but is never stagnant.
The group is like a great tapestry. From the bottom you see a lot of
apparently disconnected threads. But, from the top, it all comes
together into a great design!
My work is wonderful but very stressful. I coordinate volunteer
services for the terminally ill, my second career after 38 years in
education. At the end of the day, I am sometimes emotionally drained but
I kick off my shoes and head for the computer to see what everybody has
to say. It is refreshing. Sometimes I smile at the polite
exchanges. Sometimes I wonder. But it is always motivating.
Then I am ready for the next day. Thanks.
Mary
"v.h.villarreal"
<raices_regias@...> wrote:
Joseph,
I've
thought of something similar but instead of getting a group
together to
simply comment about or review a history book which is
very good, to take
it one step further and create a searchable
database with all the data of
genealogical relevance.
Something similar to what we were doing with
"The Colotlán Census"
from the Archivos Españoles where each team member
gets assigned a
chapter or section of a book and as he/she is reading it
enters the
who, when, where and what data into a previously agreed
form.
When everybody gets their part done it would be a simple task
to
concatenate all the parts into a single searchable database.
Then
we'd select another book and do the same and so on.
The other
part of the idea is to have a user interface that you can
access online
where one would select a book's title from the database
and then be able
to search for a person's name and get a list of all
the instances that
the name appears and the associated events to it.
You would also be able
to filter by dates and read all the persons
included in a selected
period, some sort of timeline.
With an application like that we would
not only learn about history
but we'd be accumulating data to be mined
later with ease for our
genealogical purposes. I don't think any
copyrights would be
infringed by extracting the "data" this way out of a
book.
Of course there would have to be some criteria for the
book's
selection process. We would have a list of "candidate" books
and then
by consensus make a selection or maybe there could be several
teams
working on their own selected book projects. "Sumaria
Relación" is a
book that should be in such a list as well as many other
history books
from colonial times. What do you think? I have
already toyed around
with a possible database
structure.
Victor
--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com, Joseph
Puentes <makas@n...> wrote:
>
>
>
> Alicia
Carrillo wrote:
>
> > Victor and Ed,
> >
> > The reason I chose to use this quote is because the topic was
on
> > historical novelas and or movies. My recollection was that
in times
> > past many movies and novelas were created with this
thematic matter.
> > It is not that I agree or disagree with it,
my opinion is not of
> > any relevance as it is not well informed
either way. The two of you
> > appear to have much better
information and anecdotal data than I
do. I
> > appreciate your
inputs and comments and for my part enjoy when two
> > diverging
views are presented with facts or data to represent each
> > point
of view.
> >
> > Please continue to enlighten us
when ever possible. Since joining
this
> > group I have been
reading as much as possible on the history of
Mexico
> > at
different time periods.
> >
> > That might be
something we could do as a group, provide more names of
> > books
and texts that each of us feels would be enlightening to the
> >
group as it relates to our research. You know what they say,
> >
several people might read the same material and come away with
> >
differing opinions. I would love to belong to a Latino/Mexican
> >
literary group so that we could hold open discussions. I guess I am
>
> dreaming but if you don't have dreams you are not truly living.
>
> dreams come through with action. here is how you do it. get
together
> with those Rancho Members right in your area and pick a
book to read or
> and get together quarterly to review the book. put
a notice up in the
> family history center you attend and the others
in the SF bay area (you
> could mail them to the others unless you
want to make a visit).
>
> just an idea.
>
>
joseph
>
> >
> > Take
care,
by Date 
-