"Santa" (1903)--the best known work by Gamboa--is the story of a young farm girl who falls in love with a soldier who seduces and abandons her. Thrown out of her home, Santa finds employment in one of the more exclusive houses of prostitution in Mexico City. Over time, her life disintegrates and she descends from the most luxurious to the most squalid of brothels.

This enduring classic of Mexican literature traces the path to ruination of a country girl, Santa, who moves to Mexico City after she is impregnated and abandoned by her lover and subsequently shunned by her family. Once in the city, Santa turns to prostitution and soon gains prominence as Mexico City's most sought-after courtesan. Despite the opportunities afforded by her success, including the chance to quit prostitution, Santa is propelled by her personal demons toward her ultimate downfall. This evocative novel--justly famous for its vividly detailed depiction of the cityscape and the...