The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 78, July 1974 - April, 1975 Page: 219

Book Reviews

heavyhandedness, readers cannot help but gain respect for the vitality of
Espafol-Mexicano frontier society and an understanding of the problems
of that society today. Swadesh expresses optimism that economic stagnation
of the northern New Mexico villages will come to an end, that the exodus
of young people will halt. She also makes a strong case for cultural plural-
ism.
Tighter editorial control would have made this a better book. The nar-
rative is repetitious and discursive. A discussion of the Penitentes (pp. 72-
77), for example, is interesting but not tied clearly to the study's major
themes. It is unfortunate that an editor familiar with Spanish was not as-
signed to this volume, especially since it was published under a Ford Foun-
dation Grant to develop "scholarly materials in the field of Mexican-
American studies." Such commonplace names as Chavez, Martinez, SAn-
chez, and V6lez carry no accent. This omission is particularly striking when
these surnames are accompanied by given names which are accented, such
as "Jose Maria Chavez" (p. I72). Eccentric spellings of the names of well-
known personages also appear (for example, "Thomas Veles Cachupin"
instead of Tomas Velez Gachupin, p. 35).
Originally a doctoral dissertation (University of Colorado, 1966), Los
Primeros Pobladores has undergone extensive revision. Most readers should
be grateful. Methodological discussion has been dropped, along with such
graceless chapter titles as "Social Morphology." Indeed, anthropologists'
jargon has been minimized and when used, is clearly defined. A glossary
of Spanish terms and a good map add to the usefulness of the book. Be-
cause it is ambitious in scope and treads on those areas where sociology,
anthropology, and history overlap, this study seems destined to be widely
consulted and to generate disagreement and criticism. What author could
ask for more?
San Diego State University DAVD J. WEBER
Insurgent Governor: Abraham Gonzdlez and the Mexican Revolution in
Chihuahua. By William H. Beezley. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska
Press, 1973. Pp. xiv+I95. Illustrations, notes, index, bibliography,
appendix. $7.50.)
In its early stages (1910-I917) the Mexican Revolution was a local and
regional phenomenon before it assumed national proportions. Its leaders
represented diverse interests and their common link was opposition to the
administration and politics of Porfirio Diaz. Several recently published
monographs in English (those by Michael C. Meyer, Lowell L. Blaisdell,

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