C. M. Mayo is a literary journalist, novelist, memoirist, short story writer, and noted literary translator of contemporary Mexican fiction and poetry. Her books include Metaphysical Odyssey into the Mexican Revolution: Francisco I. Madero and His Secret Book, Spiritist Manual; The Last Prince of the Mexican Empire; Mexico: A Traveler’s Literary Companion; Miraculous Air; and Sky Over El Nido.

Here she describes how she discovered and translated into English the Spiritist Manual written by Francisco I. Madero, the founder of Mexico’s 1910 revolution. In so doing, she came to appreciate the rich, intellectual background of early twentieth century spiritism – with roots reaching to Allan Kardec in France, the American transcendentalists, and the Theosophical Society. She points out that Madero considered himself to be a medium and he produced automatic writing. His political career and his Spiritist activities and beliefs were almost inseparable.

(Recorded on February 26, 2016)

Published on February 28, 2016