LUIS GONZÁLEZ Y GONZÁLEZ: BIOGRAPHY, STYLE, WORKS - BIOGRAPHIES - 2025

Luis González y González (1925-2003) was a Mexican historian and writer who dedicated his professional life to researching and studying the process of the Mexican Revolution and the presidential periods of his country. Due to his meticulous style of investigating certain issues and phenomena of the past, he has been considered the creator of microhistory.

González's texts were about historical events, which he narrated with a pleasant and attractive tone for the reader. The author used clear and precise language, easy to understand. Most of his works were essays published in newspapers, magazines, books, and encyclopedias.

Luis González and González. Source: wikimexico.com.

Some of the best known works of this Mexican intellectual were: The Indian in the Liberal Era, The Congress of Anáhuac, People in Vilo, Triumphant Liberalism and The Mexican Economy in the Time of Juárez. For all this, Luis González y González was recognized with several awards throughout his life.

Biography

Birth and family

Luis was born on October 11, 1925 in the town of San José de Gracia in Michoacán, into a cultured and traditional family. His parents were Luis González Cárdenas and Josefina González. He lived his early childhood years in Guadalajara because the town where he was born was evacuated by a fire.

Studies

González y González returned to San José in 1929, where he received the first teachings from his parents and private teachers. In 1938, the writer finished primary school and went with his family back to Guadalajara where he completed his training at the Institute of Sciences of the Society of Jesus.

Isotype of the National School of Anthropology and History, where González and González studied. Source: Marezma, via Wikimedia Commons

Once he finished high school, young Luis decided to study law at the Autonomous University of Guadalajara, but did not complete his training. After that he enrolled in the Center for Historical Studies of El Colegio de México in 1946, in that institution he trained as a historian.

Further training

Along with his studies in history, González also trained in letters and philosophy at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Later he made several specializations in institutions in his country and in some European ones, such as the Collêge de France and the Sorbonne University in Paris.

First tasks

González y González began their first professional work in the field of teaching. In 1953 he began as a history teacher at the National School of Anthropology and History and at UNAM. Four years later the Colegio de México appointed him director of the Seminary of Sources of Contemporary History of Mexico.

First publications

The historian began his work as a writer in the 1960s. His first publication was entitled El Congreso de Anáhuac and was published in 1963. That same year he was in charge of directing and coordinating the Center for Historical Studies, where he stayed until 1965.

In 1968, he is a writer, he released one of his best-known works Pueblo en vilo. Microhistory of San José de Gracia.

Other work of González

The professional life of Luis González y González was constantly growing. Between 1970 and 1973 he was in charge of the Center for Historical Studies for the second time. At the same time he published The Land Where We Are and Invitation to Microhistory.

The historian was in charge of organizing the Seminar on the History of the Mexican Revolution from 1973 to 1980. In the eighties he released Michoacán, The Days of President Cárdenas and La querencia. During that time many of his investigations appeared in Mexican History, Dialogues and Vueltas.

Last years and death

Luis González's life passed until the end of his days dedicated to his work as a historian. New invitation to microhistory, Todo es historia and Viaje por la historia de México joined the list of his publications.

During the last two decades of his life, the historian received some recognitions, including the National History Prize and the Belisario Domínguez Medal. Luis González y González died on December 13, 2003 in the city where he was born.

Awards and honours

- Member of the Mexican Academy of History from 1972 to 2003, he held chair VI.

- Corresponding member of the Académie des Sciencies, Agriculture, Arts et Belles Lettres de Aix en Provence since 1974, France.

- Member of El Colegio Nacional since 1978.

- National Prize for History, Social Sciences and Philosophy in 1983.

- Member of the Mexican Academy of Language since 1987.

- Great cross of Alfonso X El Sabio in 1999, Spain.

- Doctorate Honoris Causa from the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo in 2001.

- Belisario Domínguez Medal of the Senate of the Republic in 2003, Mexico.

Style

The literary style of Luis González y González was characterized by the use of a simple, precise and easily understood language for the reader. The historian gave his works a pleasant tone and rhythm, in order that the public would not get bored with the historical content. The thoroughness and research excelled.

Plays

- “Motherland and Homeland. The subtle revolution of Luis González ”.

References

1. Luis González and González. (2018). Spain: Wikipedia. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org.
2. Navarrete, L. (2018). Luis González and González. Mexico: Encyclopedia of Literature in Mexico. Recovered from: elem.mx.
3. Villagómez, C. (2006). Luis González González. Mexico: Essayists. Recovered from: essayists.org.
4. Luis González and González. (2019). Mexico: The National College. Recovered from: colnal.mx.
5. Don Luis González y González, Mexican historian. (S. f.). Mexico: Radio Mexico International. Recovered from: imer.mx.