“Orozco's American Epic is original in its intent, theoretically sophisticated, and clearly elaborated. Mary K. Coffey does not settle for easy interpretations of Orozco's mural but rather dwells purposively on the difficult questions it raises. An outstanding book.” — Claire F. Fox, author of Making Art Panamerican: Cultural Policy and the Cold War
“This is a spectacular piece of scholarship. Any study of Mexican mural painting in the context of Mexico is challenging enough, but adding the extra level of context as a work on US soil would defeat a less ambitious and less courageous scholar than Mary K. Coffey. Any scholar who can speak with great authority on the theories of Benjamin, Freud, and Butler on the same page and then apply those insights to the work of a Mexican painter is a scholar of almost shocking sophistication and intellectual conviction. This book needed to be written, and Coffey has delivered in glorious fashion.” — Leonard Folgarait, coeditor of Mexican Muralism: A Critical History
"Coffey’s scholarship is singular in its depth of critical analysis of Orozco’s Epic and, for this reason, will likely be considered among the foremost explorations of the work. . . . This book is highly recommended for every academic library collection." — Colleen Farry, ARLIS/NA
"Critiquing melancholy through the lenses of performance and critical race studies, decoloniality, and transnationalism, Coffey offers a nuanced interpretation of Orozco’s political art. She presents Orozco’s Epic as a compelling counternarrative that reappraises debates about identity, immigration, and nationalism. Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals." — L. Estevez, Choice
"An engaging read. . . . Coffey’s discussion of these muralists correctly places the book in conversation with Mexican muralist studies more broadly." — Gregory R. Mesa, Dartmouth Review