In his conquest of New Spain, Herman Cortés was assisted by the hereditary Aztec Princess, Malintzin Tenepal who became his chief interpreter and the mother of his son, Martin Cortés, who is often called the First Mestizo. Christened as Doña Marina by the Spaniards and known to the natives as La Malinche, this extraordinary woman was, and still is, a polarizing character in Mexico and Hispanic American culture.The ordinary life of college professor Margaret de Vega is forever changed when she discovers the six hundred year old memoirs of La Malinche containing the secret to finding the lost treasure of Montezuma. With the aid of retired Special Forces Colonel R.A. Lincoln, Doctor de Vega undertakes her treasure hunt along a rapidly deteriorating United States - Mexican border.

The ordinary life of college professor Margaret de Vega is forever changed when she discovers the six hundred year old memoirs of La Malinche containing the secret to finding the lost treasure of Montezuma. With the aid of retired Special Forces Colonel R.A. Lincoln, Doctor de Vega undertakes her treasure hunt along a rapidly deteriorating United States ' Mexican border.

Of all the historical characters known from the time of the Spanish conquest of the New World, none has proved more pervasive or controversial than that of the Indian interpreter, guide, mistress, and confidante of Hernán Cortés, Doña Marina—La Malinche—Malintzin. The mother of Cortés's son, she becomes not only the mother of the mestizo but also the Mexican Eve, the symbol of national betrayal. Very little documented evidence is available about Doña Marina. This is the first serious study tracing La Malinche in texts from the conquest period to the present day. It is also the first study to delineate the transformation of this historical figure into a literary sign with multiple manifestations. Cypess includes such seldom analyzed texts as Ireneo Paz's Amor y suplicio and Doña Marina, as well as new readings of well-known texts like Octavio Paz's El laberinto de la soledad. Using a feminist perspective, she convincingly demonstrates how the literary depiction and presentation of La Malinche is tied to the political agenda of the moment. She also shows how the symbol of La Malinche has changed over time through the impact of sociopolitical events on the literary expression.

Playwright M. Stefan Strozier produced his plays, found in this collection, on the boards in New York with his theater company, La Muse Venale Acting Troupe. Some of his plays were produced in repertoire over many years. This book also includes an in-depth essay covering all aspects of theater. The essay is drawn from the author's experiences producing his plays, and the plays and musicals of other playwrights, in New York. A World Audience Publishers book. For more info: www.worldaudience.org, www.mstefanstrozier.com.