Book Review: Red Ants
Pergentino José's first short story collection celebrates Zapotec culture, while underscoring the threats it faces.
This article is adapted from AQ’s special report on transnational organized crime In his first short story collection, Red Ants, Zapotec writer Pergentino José blends magical realism with the mythology of his upbringing to shine a light on the historical struggles of Mexico’s indigenous communities — and to make clear that the threats they face have not gone away The title of the collection is a nod to the primary theme of José’s stories: In Zapotec culture yellow ants represent happiness and good fortune while red ants represent adversity José’s tales are thus full...
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