My heart lies south: The story of my Mexican marriage

Where My Heart is #1

by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño

What happens when a thoroughly twentieth-century American lady journalist becomes a Mexican señora in nineteen-thirties' provincial Monterrey? She finds herself—sometimes hilariously—coping with servants, daily food allowances, bargaining, and dramatic Latin emotions. It is like stepping back a hundred years. In this vivid autobiography, Newbery Award winning author Elizabeth Borton de Treviño brings to life her experiences with the culture and the faith of a civilization so close to the United States, but rarely appreciated or understood. This book presents the humor and the insights of a remarkable woman and her contact with an era which is now past, but not to be forgotten.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, School, Memoir, Read For School, Historical, Autobiography

248 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

Elizabeth Borton de Treviño was the highly acclaimed author of many books for young people. Born in California, it was her move to Mexico in the 1930s that inspired many of her books, including El Güero: A True Adventure Story and Leona: A Love Story. She won the Newbery Medal in 1966 for I, Juan de Pareja.

Elizabeth was born in Bakersfield, California, the daughter of attorney Fred Ellsworth Borton and Carrie Louise Christensen. She attended Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1925 with a bachelor's degree in Latin American history. After finishing college, she moved to Massachusetts to study violin at the Boston Conservatory, and then worked as a reporter. On her marriage to Luis Treviño Arreola y Gómez Sanchez de la Barquera (b. August 5, 1902), she moved to his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. They had two sons, Luis Fredrico Treviño-Borton and Enrique Ricardo Treviño-Borton.

Among her other books are: Nacar the White Deer, The Greek of Toledo, Casilda of the Rising Moon, Beyond the Gates of Hercules, and The Fourth Gift. In later life, she wrote several memoirs of her life as an American who had married into a traditional Mexican family: the best-seller My Heart Lies South and its sequels, Where the Heart Is, and The Hearthstone of My Heart.

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/elizabet...

Reviews

[Carol Bakker · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5 stars) This is the story of a mixed marriage: an American woman who married into a traditional Mexican family in the 1930's.

The first half of the book left me under-impressed. The cross-cultural differences seemed clichéd and shopworn. Nothing surprised me.

Then I came to the chapter on Tia Rosa, the spinster aunt. Tia Rosa's life followed a custom I found highly unusual: the last daughter to marry *never marries* in order to take care of her mother. When the mother passes, she becomes a sojourner, traveling from house to house in these large extended families, helping with a new baby, a new widow, arthritis, a coming wedding.

What captured me was the absence of bitterness in Tia Rosa. "In Mexico, sacrifice is regarded as beautiful, never as deforming." The author claims this joy and acceptance is found across the board.

The explanation of the "Jews of Mexico" in Monterrey captured my imagination, much like the time I learned about Germans from Russia who settled in North Dakota(look it up). During the Spanish Inquisition, Jews had to choose conversion or expulsion. Many were baptized and were collectively called "New Christians." A large band of families settled in northern Mexico at Monterrey, "Jews in their blood and bones, though they all became Catholics with the passing of years. The families inter-married closely, and Monterrey is still something of an ethnic island in Spanish-Indian-Mestizo Mexico."

The crowning glory of the book was the long and detailed explanation of how to make tamales. Having experienced a day-long tamale tutorial myself, I was jubilant to have this in print. I copied pages, word for word, into my journal.

After I finished the book, I was reminded that Elizabeth Borton de Trevino wrote a favorite book of mine: I, Juan de Pareja.

[Cecilia Truitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually really enjoyed this quiet book about the life of an American woman following her marriage to a Mexican man and her move to Monterrey in the 1930s. Even found myself tagging some lines to write down later. A love letter to family, church, and old-school traditions.

[Mariangel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely book by the author of Newbery winner “I, Juan de Pareja.” As a young journalist sent to Mexico, Elizabeth Borton was assigned a guide and interpreter, Luis Treviño. When she returned to the United States a week later, they were engaged, and after their marriage they settled in Monterrey, close to his family. Elizabeth writes for her readers in the United States about life in Mexico in the 1940s, where the customs were quite different to what she was used to. However, many of the things she tells about were the same in Spain in those same years. She writes with great appreciation and by the end of the book she had embraced her way of life.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally got around to reading this oft-recommended memoir. What a delight.

[Sara Fukuda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful. Had not read since high school, and it definitely hits different as a wife and mother and mistress of my own home.

[Hadassah Buie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved learning about Mexican culture in the mid 1900s. Each chapter was its own story, which is my favorite autobiography format.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the "adult" version of the paperback book. It has a few slightly more "risque" parts, but I placed it under "juvenile" fiction because it is very mild by today's standards. One of the scenes included in this version which isn't in the "young reader's" paperback version, is the story of how her mother-in-law tried to help her son and daughter-in-law's marriage by making her daughter think he was having an affair with another woman, which would incite jealousy in the woman and repentance in the man, albeit un-justified repentance, because he was never unfaithful! Hilarious!

[Dawn Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

After we finished and loved I, Juan de Pareja, we started on the autobiography of its author. This book is hilarious and reminds me constantly of a dear friend who also married her Mexican love. Elizabeth Borton de Trevino, however, remained in her adopted Mexico for the rest of her life. The vivid picture she paints of life in Monterrey in the mid-20th century allows you to share the love she developed for the country and its people.

[Angela Squires · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting to enjoy this book, in part because—let’s be honest—I was judging it by its cover. My interest was slightly piqued, though, when I learned that My Heart Lies South is a biography and not a fictional story. I was pleasantly surprised by the manner in which it reads, more like a discussion of culture than like the romance-type novel I had supposed it to be. I appreciate the unique opportunity the author gives to take a glimpse inside Mexican culture.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much of this felt like an "I Love Lucy" episode, but not in an obnoxious way.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Heart Lies South:The Story of My Mexican Wedding is a delight.

Many books written by people living outside their birth country make us laugh at "them". Elisabeth's story is beautiful because she laughs at herself. The humor doesn't focus on the quaint and exotic otherness she encounters, but on her own blunders learning to belong. Her love for the people she describes is evident.

The warmth of her writing, the humor of her experiences, and the history and content she provides along the way made this a book I look forward to reading again and sharing with others.

[Rosie Gearhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was delightful! It is the story of an American woman who married a Mexican man 100 years ago and the life she lived in Monterrey, Mexico. There is much here about the cultural differences between Americans and Mexicans, told with sensitivity and humor.

It says “Young People’s Edition,” but I think it would be enjoyed more by adults unless the young person is already well-read.

[JoAnn Hallum · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the second half, it took me a while to get into it but I found it charming in the end

[Lizzie J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed her stories.... A lot of them were very funny.

[Hannah Mozingo · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Elizabeth Borton accepted a writing engagement down in Mexico, she didn’t expect that she would return a week or so later, engaged to a native of that land. She didn’t dream that the strange land full of fast speaking, emotionally charged, and lavishly loving people would become her own. But a year later, she returned to Mexico, Mrs Luis Trevino Arreola y Gomez Sanchez de la Barquera. And thus began the adventure of a life time, told charmingly and entertainingly by Elizabeth herself in ‘My Heart Lies South: The Story of my Mexican Marriage’.

I've read this book twice now, but I still found it incredibly entertaining and educational. It is informative, giving a very in depth look into the Mexican life in the 1930’s. It’s also nice and easy to read, Mrs Trevino’s writing is witty, clear and educational. I felt like I was reliving what life was like in a native Mexican family for myself. There was so much information packed into this one book, from facts on the detailed courting rituals between couples, to how dinner parties were handled, to how babies and children were treated. I find that kind of thing so fascinating – real life stories mixed up with real life lessons and facts.

[Jenevieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of an American woman's marriage to a Mexican and her assimilation into Mexican culture and appreciation for it's heritage. Elizabeth was a reporter and one day her boss said "You know how you always wanted to go to Mexico? See how far you can get on this and write a story when you get as far as you can." In her travels, she met Luis who almost immediately started courting her, unbeknownst to her at that time. In a scandalously short time (less than a year), they were married and she was moving to Monterrey, Mexico. She tells of her trials and tribulations between their beliefs in how to act in any given situation and hers, where she found compromises and where she found that their ways worked just as well, about the love and respect that grew for her new family and the culture of her husband. Originally published in 1953 and speaking about events mostly from the 30s.

I found this a nice, easy, enjoyable read.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I had enjoyed her Newberry winner I, Juan de Pareja many years ago, and wanted to read another book by her. This was the only one I found, and it was an interesting read.
A stronger ending would have been more in keeping with the tone set right from the start of the book.
Who knew that Monterrey Mexico was populated with 'Jewish' Catholics. Jews from Spain who had been forced to convert or die during the Inquisition. These are the Jews of 15th C.Spain who were wise business and financial people, professionals. The was the Spain where Jews, Muslims and Christians had lived peacefully together under Islamic rule in the middle ages.
They were forced into Catholicism but their energy and intelligence remained. They are the ones who turned Monterrey into a city of industry by the early 1900s.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished a version of this book that is not the "young people's edition." Originally published in 1953, the author narrates events from the '30s. Gentle, easy read, an enjoyable story about life in northern Mexico a long time ago. The author, a native Californian, marries a Mexican man and goes to live with him and his family in Monterrey.

[Sonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful book exploring culture from an outsider who marries into a Mexican town (she doesn't just marry her husband, she gains a community). She desires to acclimate into their life even with its bumps that she candidly shares with laughter, and tears. The entire family enjoyed learning about another era with its life in a small town in Mexico.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that is often put on young adult shelves, but I (very much an adult) really enjoyed the story of a young women journalist that falls in love and marries a Mexican. It is a great love story and tells us so much about Mexican culture.

[Signe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for peeking into Mexican culture. It would be a great book for older kids studying different cultures. It is a perspective you can only have if you are able to live in it the way Eleezabet did. It was a very pleasant read as well. A good summer read.

[Cat *living for the One who breaths life into me* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting culrurally speaking and as far as writing it wasn't a masterpiece but it was not crappy. I enjoyed it a great deal. Laughing and crying at parts. Though it was for school I think it was better than some of the or school books that I have read. Overrall I give it a 3 out of 5.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent memoir, filled with cultural detail and so well written that I never wanted it to end. A must read that made me laugh out loud, pause to think, and long for a society that so highly values family.

[Amy Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming, so vivid and fascinating biography of Mexican life

I recommend this book. I found this on the sonlight.com booklist. Heartwarming, vivid, enchanting biography of an American woman's move to Mexico and her life thereafter.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and entertaining, though some parts were a bit boring. But it was also very funny, and very informative about Mexican culture; dwelling on the good things about it and not on the bad. I learnt a lot :)

[Carrie Brownell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this book in 2023 with my book club and LOVED it! So when our family went on a road trip recently, I saved it to listen to with them. Thumbs up all around. Very enjoyable, funny, sweet, poignant story. Highly recommend.

[Carmen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an enjoyable story. The author has a great sense of humor and of course it is interesting reading about some of the crazy Mexican customs that she had to endure.

[rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun book to read! Having lived in Mexico for a short time myself, I felt like I was re-living some of those experiences through hers.

[Vieve · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable read. Very interesting to learn of old Mexican culture.

[Clare D' Lune · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say, she had some pretty funny stories....