Nothing, Nobody: The Voices of the Mexico City Earthquake

September 19, 1985: A powerful earthquake hits Mexico City in the early morning hours. As the city collapses, the government fails to respond. Long a voice of social conscience, prominent Mexican journalist Elena Poniatowska chronicles the disintegration of the city's physical & social structure, the widespread grassroots organizing against government corruption & incompetence, & the reliency of the human spirit. As a transformative moment in the life of Mexican society, the earthquake is as much a component of the country's current crisis as the 1982 debt crisis, the problematic economic of the last ten years, & the recent elections.

In masterfully weaving together a multiplicity of voices, Poniatowska has reasserted the inherent value & latent power of people working together. Punctuated by Poniatowska's own experiences & observations, these post disaster testimonies speak of the disruption of families & neighborhoods, of the destruction of homes & hospitals, of mutilation and death—the collective loss of a city. Drawing the reader dramatically into the scene of national horror through dozens of personal stories, Poniatowska demonstrates the importance of courage & self-reliance in redeeming life from chaos.

ELENA PONIATOWSKA is a prolific author & journalist who focuses on social & human rights issues. Her work is read around the world & has won numerous literary awards, such as the prestigious Miguel de Cervantes Prize.