ABSTRACT
Salvador Novo worked in a wide range of media: theater, poetry, prose, translation, television, and historical essay. Novo is known for his satiric verses and recognized as a skilled essayist. His poetry mocked modernism and what Novo saw as the propensity in Mexico at the time to open itself wholeheartedly to outside influences. In this sense, his work is considered nationalistic by some. The chapter focuses on the Mexican Revolution, Novo’s work focuses not on the countryside but on urban Mexico. Indeed, he is considered by many the official chronicler of Mexico City, and the first selection displays his love for that city, expressed in attention to the details of daily life and its transformation. The two essays included draw on Novo’s observations of the city and echo documents that he might have seen in his work as a Mexico City archivist.
