The Interior Circuit

The Interior Circuit follows Francisco Goldman as he navigates life in Mexico City five years after his wife's death. The author intertwines his personal story with an exploration of the Mexican capital, documenting its complexities through both research and lived experience. Goldman chronicles his efforts to learn to drive in Mexico City by mastering the Circuito Interior, the sprawling highway system that encircles the urban core. He intersperses accounts of Mexico City's history, politics, and culture with reflections on grief, belonging, and identity. The narrative shifts to focus on a local criminal case that captures the city's attention in 2013, leading Goldman to investigate deeper layers of Mexico City's social fabric. His reporting connects threads between crime, corruption, and daily life in one of the world's largest metropolises. The book operates on multiple levels - as journalism, memoir, and urban portrait - to examine how personal and collective histories shape our understanding of place and self. Through his dual lens as insider and outsider, Goldman reveals the lasting impact of loss alongside the endless vitality of a complex city.

Readers appreciate Goldman's intimate portrayal of Mexico City and his personal journey through grief while exploring the metropolis. Many note the seamless blend of memoir, journalism, and urban history. Multiple reviews highlight Goldman's ability to capture both the beauty and darkness of the city. Common praise focuses on: - Detailed observations of daily life and culture - Strong research into crime and politics - Raw emotional honesty about loss Main criticisms: - Pacing issues in the second half - Too much focus on political details - Structure feels disjointed to some readers Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (500+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (50+ ratings) From reader reviews: "Goldman takes you deep into the heart of DF with all its complications and contradictions" - Goodreads "The political sections dragged and felt like a different book" - Amazon "His description of grief and healing through exploring the city resonated deeply" - LibraryThing

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📚 The book's title "Interior Circuit" refers to Mexico City's Circuito Interior, a 42-kilometer ring road that the author drove repeatedly as a way to conquer his fear of driving in the megalopolis and to better understand the city. 🏆 Francisco Goldman has won multiple prestigious awards, including the Prix Femina Étranger for his novel "Say Her Name," which explores the tragic death of his wife Aura Estrada. 🗞️ The author worked as a journalist covering Central America's civil wars in the 1980s, bringing that investigative expertise to his exploration of Mexico City's crime and politics in this book. 🌆 The memoir is set in 2012, during a pivotal time when Mexico City was experiencing both a cultural renaissance and continued struggles with drug-related violence. 💔 The book serves as both a portrait of Mexico City and a deeply personal account of Goldman's process of grieving his wife's death, weaving together civic and personal history.