The World of Lucha Libre: Secrets, Revelations, and Mexican National Identity (American Encounters/Global Interactions)

It was a really interesting read. It was great to see someone experience the Lucha Libre world by immersing themselves in for the length of time that she did.

For the more cerebral wrestling fans out there, this book is going to be for you. Heather Levi examines the history of lucha libre, how it diverges from the rest of North American wrestling, and how it reflects 20th century Mexican culture and mores. This is a pretty impressive feat in itself. Most scholarly books on pop culture that I've read widely miss the mark, but Levi seems to be enough of a fan to not only accurately describe several lucha libre events she attended in detail but also to have taken basic training in the sport herself. This is a big step away from how lucha libre is often portrayed in English-language media, which all too often focus on the 60s Mexploitation films starring Santo and the Blue Demon rather than the genuine live experience in Mexico City. I also found that Levi's anthropological speculations seem pretty close to how lucha libre can be interpreted by someone from the outside.As you'd expect in a book intended for an academic bookshelf, there are limited photos and all of them are black and white. I mention this only because most fans probably expect that the colorful masks and costumes that are a hallmark of modern-day lucha libre would be represented in color photos. This is not the case here.Is this a perfect, all-inclusive, totally accurate history? No. But the spirit of the book is true. It goes far beyond what typical wrestling paperbacks cover, and is an exceptionally good read. Lest anyone come across video footage of "Lucha Va Voom" and get the false impression that Mexican wrestling is nothing more than a camp fest, this book will guide you in the right direction.

I appreciate that the author actually participated in lucha and attempted to learn about it from the inside. It is clear, the author was very involved and was passionate about the project. You will learn a lot about lucha from reading this and I think its true value is the historical context she puts around it. The place of lucha in Mexico is important, although some don't realize it.I think the discussion of gender roles is illuminating, as is the rudo/technico distinction. My impression is that both of those come together as a kind of therapy for the fan. It is the one place where political correctness no longer matters, and almost anything is acceptable. Lucha to this ends is a true expression of the will, albeit complicated.My only complaint is that I think her political associations and the like are weak at best. If you talk to the average lucha fan they don't see what the author is putting forth. There is no political metaphor going on. Outside of Mexico City (particular groups even), many would not share her view, or care about it. And, arguably that could be due to the uneducated populace. Modern day lucha tends to appeal to the lower socioeconomic group, which is further disconnected from the political power structure.This book shines when the author talks about lucha and its direct cultural associations; it is dulled when the author is an academic and adopts that paradigm of explanation, talking in jargon and losing "traction" as Wittgenstein would say. Overall, worth reading.

Used this book as a source for a paper onLucha libre.

Great book. Well written & insightful.