Table of Contents
Title Page
Epigraph
BORN OF DESIRE
A FEAST ON FOOT
THE TROUBLEMAKER
CAVES
ORIGIN OF FIRE
ORIGIN OF BEAUTY
SAHARA’S GREENERY
HOW COULD WE?
AGES
COUSINS
GRANDPARENTS
BRIEF HISTORY OF CIVILIZATION
ORIGIN OF POLLUTION
ORIGIN OF SOCIAL CLASSES
SERFS AND LORDS
RULERS AND RULED
ORIGIN OF THE DIVISION OF LABOR
ORIGIN OF WRITING
BORN OF CLAY
ORIGIN OF THE DAYS
ORIGIN OF THE TAVERN
RITES OF THE TABLE
BRIEF HISTORY OF BEER
BRIEF HISTORY OF WINE
THE KING WHO WANTED TO LIVE FOREVER
ANOTHER ADVENTURE IN IMMORTALITY
BORN OF TEARS
NILE
STONE THAT SPEAKS
WRITING, NO
WRITING, YES
OSIRIS
ISIS
SAD KING
ORIGIN OF THE HEN
HATSHEPUT
THE OTHER PYRAMID
GOD OF WAR
THEATER OF WAR
ART OF WAR
HORROR OF WAR
YELLOW
YI AND THE DROUGHT
YU AND THE FLOOD
ORIGIN OF THE CHINESE BOOK
FAMILY PORTRAIT IN CHINA
SILK THAT WAS SPITTLE
FLIGHT OF THE CHINESE WORM
THE EMPEROR WHO DEDICATED HIS LIFE TO BUILDING HIS DEATH
FOOT MURDERERS
WORD SMUGGLERS
MALE PANIC
A DANGEROUS WEAPON
NINE MOONS
VICTORIOUS SUN, MOON VANQUISHED
MEXICANS
EGYPTIANS
HEBREWS
HINDUS
CHINESE
ROMANS
GREEKS
AMAZONS
WHEN THE LIVER WAS THE HOME OF THE SOUL
ORIGIN OF MISOGYNY
HERACLES
ORIGIN OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION
ORIGIN OF THE POSTAL SERVICE
ECHO
THALES
ORIGIN OF MUSIC
DIVINE MONOPOLY
THANKS FOR THE PUNISHMENT
ORIGIN OF LANGUAGES
ALL THE RAINS
RELIGIOUS ORIGIN OF RACISM
SCIENTIFIC ORIGIN OF RACISM
THE LOVE OF LOVES
ALEXANDER
HOMER
LITERARY ORIGIN OF THE DOG
HESIOD
THE SUICIDE OF TROY
THE HERO
FAMILY PORTRAIT IN GREECE
STRIKE OF CLOSED THIGHS
THE ART OF DRAWING YOU
SOCRATES
OLYMPICS
PARTHENON AND AFTER
HIPPOCRATES
ASPASIA
SAPPHO
EPICURIUS
ORIGIN OF INSECURITY
SLAVERY ACCORDING TO ARISTOTLE
WATCH OUT FOR THE BACCHANALIA
ANTIOCHUS, KING
SPARTACUS
ROME TOUR
JULIUS CAESAR
SALT OF THE EMPIRE
CLEOPATRA
CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS OF PROVEN EFFECTIVENESS
SHOW BUSINESS
FAMILY PORTRAIT IN ROME
THE POET WHO POKED FUN AT ROME
LAUGH THERAPY
JOKES
THE LOOKING-GLASS WORLD MOCKED THE REAL ONE
FORBIDDEN TO LAUGH
THE SMILING DIVINITY
A FATHER WHO NEVER LAUGHS
THE SON
WANTED
THE ASS
RESURRECTION OF JESUS
MARYS
RESURRECTION OF MARY
ORIGIN OF SANTA CLAUS
ORIGIN OF HELL
PRISCILLIAN
HYPATIA
THEODORA
URRACA
AYESHA
MOHAMMED
MOHAMMED’S BIOGRAPHER
SUKAINA
MOTHER OF ALL STORYTELLERS
BAGHDAD
VOICE OF WINE
CRUSADES
DIVINE COMMANDMENTS
CRAZY ABOUT FRENCH WOMEN
POET PROPHET
TROTULA
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI
ORIGIN OF SUGAR
THE LITTLE CRUSADE AGAINST DOLCINO
SAINTS VISITED FROM HEAVEN
SAINTS PORTRAY THE DAUGHTERS OF EVE
FORBIDDEN TO SING
FORBIDDEN TO FEEL
A FEUDAL LADY EXPLAINS HOW TO CARE FOR EARTHLY GOODS
A FEUDAL LORD EXPLAINS HOW TO CARE FOR THE PEASANTS
FOUNT OF THE FOUNTAIN
PLAGUES
WOMEN AGAINST THE PLAGUE
CURSED WATER
SAINTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES PRACTICED MEDICINE ON AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE
ORIGIN OF CHILDHOOD
GOD’S LITTLE ANGELS
FATHER OF THE OGRE
THE TATAR OGRE
MARCO POLO
WHAT DID THE CHINESE NOT INVENT?
THE GREAT FLOATING CITY
A GENEROUS POPE
EVIL COPIES GOOD
ARGUMENTS OF THE FAITH
THE TORTURER’S CONFESSION
WE WERE ALL EXECUTIONERS
MERCENARIES
OUR LADY OF THE IMPOSSIBLE
HOLY WARRIOR
WHEN SHIPS NAVIGATED BY LAND
THE DEVIL IN DISGUISE
SHE WALKS LIKE AN ANGEL
DEVILCIDE
LEONARDO
BREASTS
ORIGIN OF THE FORK
VISIT TO THE VATICAN
BOSCH
PRAISED BE BLINDNESS
FORBIDDEN TO BE CURIOUS
THE DANGEROUS VICE OF ASKING
RESURRECTION OF SERVET
EUROEVERYTHING
SOUTH
BESTIARY
ORIGIN OF SEA BREEZES
AFTERMAP
COLUMBUS
FACES
DESTINIES
AMERIGO
ISABELLA
THE AGES OF JUANA LA LOCA
CHARLES
LEGACY DENIED
MAIMONIDES AND AVERROES
STONE
WATER AND LIGHT
FORBIDDEN TO BE
THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THIS WORLD LIVED IN THE OTHER
LAST SPARK OF THE TURBANS
THE DEVIL IS MUSLIM
THE DEVIL IS JEWISH
THE DEVIL IS BLACK
THE DEVIL IS FEMALE
THE DEVIL IS POOR
THE DEVIL IS FOREIGN
THE DEVIL IS HOMOSEXUAL
THE DEVIL IS GYPSY
THE DEVIL IS INDIAN
ORIGIN OF AMERICA
DRAGON OF EVIL
AMERICANS
FACES AND MASKS
THE FIRST WATER WAR
ALLIES
BALL GAME
OTHER WEAPONS
ORIGIN OF BACTERIOLOGICAL WARFARE
OTHER MAPS, SAME STORY
BEDEVILED
PALACE ART IN THE MAYAN KINGDOMS
KILLING FORESTS, THEY DIED
THE LOST ISLE
KINGLESS KINGDOMS
DOOMED BY YOUR PAST
DOOMED BY YOUR FUTURE
ANANAS
DON QUIJOTE
LABOR RELATIONS
HEMOPHOBIA
DEATH BY DOCTOR
MOLIÈRE
ORIGIN OF ANESTHESIA
ORIGIN OF THE VACCINATION
ORIGIN OF THE PROCESSION
MASKS
OTHER MASKS
PASQUINADES
RECORD OF THE DEVIL’S CONFESSION
TERESA
JUANA
GOODBYE
TITUBA
WOMEN POSSESSED
HENDRICKJE
RESURRECTION OF VERMEER
RESURRECTION OF ARCIMBOLDO
THOMAS MORE
ERASMUS
ORIGIN OF THE ELEVATOR
PRECURSOR OF CAPITALISM
DANGEROUS CORNERS OF THE CARIBBEAN
RALEIGH
FAMILY PORTRAIT IN ENGLAND
MARE NOSTRUM
THANKS
THIS EXECRABLE CREW OF BUTCHERS
FATHER OF GULLIVER
CELESTIAL AND TERRESTRIAL
FREEDOM’S PHILOSOPHER
CONTRACTS
BRIEF HISTORY OF TRADE BETWEEN AFRICA AND EUROPE
HOLY WATER
CANNIBAL EUROPE
FASHION
CAGES UNDER SAIL
PROGENY OF THE MIDDLE PASSAGE
FIRST SLAVE REBELLION IN AMERICA
STUBBORN FREEDOM
KINGDOM OF THE FREE
QUEEN OF THE FREE
ART OF THE FREE
KING OF THE FREE
IN SEARCH OF ESCAPED PROPERTY
HARRIET
DON’T MISS IT!
THE AGES OF ROSA MARIA
BRAZIL SLEPT ON A BED OF GOLD
DIGESTIONS
FATHER OF THE MARIONETTE
ALEIJADINHO
PALACE ART IN BRAZIL
THE AGES OF PEDRO
FREEDOM BETRAYS
RESURRECTION OF TÚPAC AMARU
RAIN
HAVES AND HAVE-NOTS
MISSING FATHER
ANOTHER MISSING FATHER
SALLY
DEATH TO TEA, LONG LIVE COFFEE
IN GOD WE TRUST?
ADVENTURES OF THE MIND IN DARK TIMES
MOZART
WIGS
THE DESPICABLE HUMAN HAND
THE REVOLUTIONARY HUMAN HAND
MARIE ANTOINETTE
THE MARSEILLAISE
ANTHEMS
OLYMPE
THE GUILLOTINE
THE REVOLUTION LOST ITS HEAD
BÜCHNER
WHITE CURSE
TOUSSAINT
SLAVERY DIED MANY DEATHS
DEAD MAN SPEAKING
THE AGES OF IQBAL
FORBIDDEN TO BE A WOMAN
PALACE ART IN FRANCE
BEETHOVEN
ORIGIN OF NEWS AGENCIES
ORIGIN OF THE CROISSANT
ORIGIN OF FRENCH COOKING
GOYA
MARIANA
FANS
PALACE ART IN ARGENTINA
THE INDEPENDENCE THAT WAS NOT
THE LOSER
ARTIGAS
TWO TRAITORS
CONSTITUTIONS
AMERICA ACCORDING TO HUMBOLDT
ORIGIN OF ECOLOGY
MAP ERASED
MAP GOBBLED
MAP BROKEN
THE PREDESTINED
MAP CHANGED
NAME CHANGED
THE AGES OF ADA
THE HE’S ARE SHE’S
FLORA
CONCEPCIÓN
VENUS
THE REAL AMERICA
DIET OF AIR
AN OVERPOPULATED COLONY
ORIGIN OF FAIRY TALES
A STUBBORN COLONY
TAJ MAHAL
MUSIC FOR THE HOURS
HOKUSAI
ORIGIN OF MODERN JAPAN
FREE TRADE? NO THANKS
WITH BLOOD, WORDS SINK IN
TRADITIONAL DRESS
HERE LAY PARAGUAY
ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE
ORIGIN OF FREEDOM OF OPPRESSION
OUR LADY OF THE SEAS, NARCO QUEEN
HERE LAY CHINA
LOOTIE
NATURAL DISASTERS
OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS
NATURAL GLORIES
UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS
CALLOUSED HANDS
FLORENCE
DARWIN’S VOYAGE
DARWIN’S QUESTIONS
I’LL SHOW YOU THE WORLD
ONLY HUMAN
THE INSANITY OF FREEDOM
THE GOLD RUSH
WHITMAN
EMILY
UNIVERSAL TARANTULA
MR. CORPORATION
DON’T STEP ON MY FLOWERS
WOMEN OF THE COMMUNE
LOUISE
VICTOR HUGO
LESSON IN COLONIAL CULTURE
HERE LAY INDIA
CHINA DISHED UP AT EUROPE’S TABLE
AFRICA DISHED UP AT EUROPE’S TABLE
CAPTAIN OF DARKNESS
TWO QUEENS
WILDE
FRIGID RIGID MORALS
FATHER OF THE BOY SCOUTS
FATHER OF THE RED CROSS
CHURCHILL
COLOSSUS OF RHODES
THRONE OF GOLD
ORIGIN OF CONCENTRATION CAMPS
ORIGIN OF THE WILD WEST
BUFFALO BILL
THE AGES OF SITTING BULL
ORIGIN OF DISAPPEARANCES
TALLEST STATUE
LONGEST STREET
MARTÍ
MUSCLES
MARK TWAIN
KIPLING
SWORD OF THE EMPIRE
CIVILIZED RICE
ORIGIN OF DEMOCRACY
ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSITY
ORIGIN OF SADNESS
OUT OF PLACE
SOULLESS
RESURRECTION OF CAMILLE
VAN GOGH
THAT SCREAM
PROPHETS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
ORIGIN OF ADVERTISING
POTIONS
MARKETING
MARIE
FATHER OF THE LIGHTBULB
TESLA
ORIGIN OF AERIAL BOMBARDMENTS
THE AGES OF SANTOS DUMONT
PHOTOGRAPH: A FACE IN THE CROWD
KAFKA
NIJINSKY
ORIGIN OF JAZZ
RESURRECTION OF DJANGO
ORIGIN OF THE TANGO
ORIGIN OF THE SAMBA
ORIGIN OF HOLLYWOOD
ORIGIN OF MODERN ART
ORIGIN OF THE MODERN NOVEL
THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER
FORBIDDEN TO BE POOR
INVISIBLE MEN
INVISIBLE WOMEN
FORBIDDEN TO BE A PEASANT
PHOTOGRAPH: THE THRONE
RESURRECTION OF ZAPATA
LENIN
ALEXANDRA
STALIN
ALIBIS
PHOTOGRAPH: ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE
THE INQUISITION IN STALIN’S TIME
ROSA
ORIGIN OF TWO COUNTRIES
UNGRATEFUL KING
THE AGES OF JOSEPHINE
SARAH
SURRENDER OF PARIS
HAREM NIGHTS
PESSOA’S PERSONS
WAR STREET
FORBIDDEN TO WIN ELECTIONS
FORBIDDEN TO BE FERTILE
FORBIDDEN TO BE A COUNTRY
RESURRECTION OF SANDINO
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PROPAGATION OF DEMOCRACY IN THE AMERICAS
FORBIDDEN TO BE A WORKER
FORBIDDEN TO BE ABNORMAL
FORBIDDEN TO BE JEWISH
SOCIAL HYGIENE, RACIAL PURITY
ROAD RAGE
VICTORIA
THE DEVIL IS RED
LAST WISH
ROSARIO
GUERNICA
THE COMMANDER WHO CAME FROM AFAR
RAMÓN
MACHADO
MATILDE
CHEAPEST JAILS IN THE WORLD
RESURRECTION OF CARNIVAL
FORBIDDEN TO BE BLACK
INSOLENCE
BLACK WINGS
BLACK STAR
BLACK BLOOD
BLACK VOICE
IMPUNITY IS THE DAUGHTER OF OBLIVION
THE GEARS
FORBIDDEN TO BE INEFFICIENT
MENGELE
GOD
LOVE ME DO
PHOTOGRAPH: THE FLAG OF VICTORY
PHOTOGRAPH: MAP OF THE WORLD
PHOTOGRAPH: ANOTHER FLAG OF VICTORY
FATHER AND MOTHER OF PENICILLIN
RESURRECTION OF VIVALDI
PHOTOGRAPH: A MUSHROOM BIG AS THE SKY
THE OTHER MUSHROOM
FATHER OF THE BOMB
PHOTOGRAPH: SADDEST EYES IN THE WORLD
HOLLYWOOD HEROES THEY WERE NOT
TSARS
ONE WAR DIES, OTHERS ARE BORN
HO
IT WAS NO GIFT
OBJECTIVE NEWS
SALT OF THE EARTH
EDUCATION IN FRANCO’S DAY
JUSTICE IN FRANCO’S DAY
DORIA
FAMILY PORTRAIT IN JORDAN
PHOOLAN
MAP OF THE COLD WAR
FATHER OF THE COMPUTER
MOTHER AND FATHER OF CIVIL RIGHTS
SOCCER CIVIL RIGHTS
MARACANÃ
PELÉ
MARADONA
PHOTOGRAPH: THE SCORPION
BRECHT
A HUNDRED FLOWERS AND ONLY ONE GARDENER
RED EMPEROR
YELLOW EMPEROR
FORBIDDEN TO BE INDEPENDENT
RESURRECTION OF LUMUMBA
MAU MAU
EUROPE’S LEGACY
SANKARA
ORIGIN OF CUBA
I CAN SO
PHOTOGRAPH: THE WORLD’S MOST POPULATED EYES
COMEBACK KID
FIDEL
PHOTOGRAPH: FISTS HELD HIGH
ALI
THE GARDENER
THE NINTH
WALLS
PHOTOGRAPH: THE WALL FALLS
DIVINE LIGHT,MURDEROUS LIGHT
CRIME PAYS
ANOTHER CASE OF AMNESIA
PHOTOGRAPH: THIS BULLET DOES NOT LIE
A KISS OPENED THE DOORS TO HELL
FAMILY PORTRAIT IN ARGENTINA
THE AGES OF ANA
THE NAME MOST TOUCHED
THE BISHOP WHO DIED TWICE
GLOBAL TAXES
THEY ARE NOT NEWS
CRIMINOLOGY
LIVE AND DIRECT
DIRECT AND LIVE
DANGER IN PRISON
DANGER IN THE STREET
DANGER IN THE ANDES
DANGER ON AIR
BARBIE GOES TO WAR
ROBOCOP’S CHILDREN GO TO WAR
CAMOUFLAGED WARS
A WOMAN ON THE BANKS OF A RIVER
LIED-ABOUT WARS
ORIGIN OF THE EMBRACE
LYING WARS
VORACIOUS WARS
WORLD-KILLING WARS
THE GIANT AT TULE
ORIGIN OF ROAD RAGE
RIDDLE
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL REVOLUTION
BHOPAL
ANIMAL MEDIA
ARNO
GANGES
THE RIVER AND THE FISH
THE RIVER AND THE DEER
THE HANDS OF THE TRAIN
DANGER IN THE JUNGLE
DANGER AT THE TAP
DANGER ON THE LAND
DANGER IN THE SKY
DANGER IN THE CLOUDS
INVENTORY OF THE WORLD
THE ROAD GOES ON
DANGER IN THE NIGHT
LOST AND FOUND
INDEX OF NAMES
Copyright Page
No footnotes, no bibliographic sources are included.
I realized in time that they would have taken up more pages than the nearly six hundred stories themselves.
Neither have I listed the many collaborators whose assistance allowed Mirrors to become more than just a raving notion. I cannot, however, fail to mention several who had the patience to read the final manuscript and who saved me from more than a few embarrassments: Tim Chapman, Antonio Doñate, Karl Hübener, Carlos Machado, Pilar Royo, and Raquel Villagra. This book is dedicated to them and to the innumerable friends who made this impossible task possible.