An Artist Grows Up in Mexico: Scenes from the Boyhood of Diego Rivera

American writer Leah Brenner worked as Diego Rivera’s secretary in the 1930s. He liked to tell her stories of his boyhood, frequently embellished with elements of magic and folklore. Brenner recast this blend of fantasy, supernatural belief, and fact into seven formative episodes in the life of an artist she named Pancho Pacheco. Rivera later added line drawings to accompany the stories. Brenner’s vivid writing brings to life prerevolutionary Mexico as well as Rivera’s quicksilver personality.