Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire, and Revolution in the Borderlands
by Kelly Lytle Hernández
Why read it
This Bancroft Prize-winning history uncovers the thrilling, overlooked story of the magonistas—a coalition of migrant workers, journalists, and radicals who organized from exile inside the United States to overthrow Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz. It reframes early 20th-century border politics as a gripping transnational cat-and-mouse game involving secret codes, armed raids, and the origins of modern cross-border surveillance.
Where to get it
For audio listeners in the Netherlands, the English audiobook is narrated by Joana Garcia and widely accessible across digital platforms including Storytel, Nextory, BookBeat, Audible, and Google Play Books. If you prefer the local library network, check the Online Bibliotheek catalog for digital copies or interlibrary loan at your local Bibliotheek. Physical English editions are readily available through bol.com and international-focused booksellers like American Book Center, Waterstones Amsterdam, or Donner.
What to expect
Propulsive and narrative-driven, reading more like a political espionage thriller than a dry academic treatise. Accessible to newcomers to Mexican and US border history while thoroughly researched. Content notes: includes historical accounts of state violence, political persecution, police brutality, and harsh prison conditions.
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