"Mexico" Mike Nelson's Biography
Mexico" Mike (TM) Nelson will help you discover the " real" Mexico. Mike is the author of 15 books on Mexico and psychological issues, and one of the few authors about Mexico who writes mainly about driving Mexico. He likes to find little-known places, not just beach resorts. He grew up on the Texas/Mexico border in Edinburg, Texas and Austin, Texas. He has lived all over the United States, Pto. Escondido, Oaxaca and for several years spent half his life in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and half in Mexico. He & his rescued cocker spaniel/papillon mix, Misty now live in McAllen, Texas with Nicki, her 12 bird (parrots, parakeets, finches) and a cat named Velcro. Because of the birds, the rest of us cannot move back to Mexico. Tip -- if you have birds, forget about moving to Mexico.
To those who ask if I am troubled by the poverty they see in Mexico, I say, "I see the sprit of the Mexican people instead. There is a growing middle class, but even the poorest have a wealth of spirit that awes me."
The Media Says:
The: Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Denver Post, American Way, Los Angeles Times, CNN, Contenido (a Mexican news magazine), Mexico City News, Atencion (San Miguel de Allende) and others have profiled him. They called him an expert on Mexico. Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, San Antonio Express-News, Mexico Business Magazine and many others have quoted him as an expert.
He's written for several major guidebooks to Mexico as well as the Sanborn's Travelogs (until 1998).
He was the media spokesman for the Mexican Tourism Department (Surface Tourism) from 1996-7 and was professionally media-trained by Edelman Public Relations. During his stint as a talking head, he was interviewed by dozens of TV, radio and newspaper interviews, nationwide.
He worked for MTV as a Mexico consultant and location scout during the filming of a segment of "Road Rules." But he recovered.
Joe " King" Carrasco, the king of Tex-Mex rock & roll, in his song, Mexico Mike, said " he's kind of poco loco/ but he's bueno all right."
He's written for, or been mentioned by: Dallas Morning News, Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Associated Press, Mexico Business, New Orleans Times-Picayune, London (England) Observer, Manchester (England) Guardian, Irish Times and others.
He is currently a frequent contributor to various magazines about Mexico.
He was the author of the Sanborn's Travelog series of guidebooks for drivers to Mexico from 1986-1998. "Mexico" Mike(TM) is no longer associated in any way with Sanborn's and hasn't been since 1998. He started writing about the culture of Mexico during his journalist days in the mid-1990's. His journalism (if you use the term loosely -- he was only a real reporter once, filing an Associated Press story about a flood) was published in the McAllen Monitor, Atencion in San Miguel de Allende, The News in Mexico City and the Coastal Current (now The Current) on South Padre Island, Texas. From there, he branched into writing Live Better South of the Border, the first book about living in Mexico that wasn't just for retirees. His passion (and arthritis) led him to write Spas & Hot Springs of Mexico. He's written a total of 15 books on Mexico and other subjects. He's also written 3 books on the psychology of cluttering -- see www.clutterless.org for that.
"Mexico" Mike Nelson moved to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas in 1956 for his health. He was a sickly kid. (As an adult, he is only sickly in his mind). He was kicked out of Edinburg High School for being a rebel and finished high school at Travis High School in Austin, TX. He's attended a lot of colleges, but none that would claim him.
He made a living as a stock options trader (making and losing two fortunes), an executive with a 3-piece suit, a computer programmer and a hospital executive. He moved to Mexico in 1982. He returned to the United States when his skill as a novelist didn't put the literary world on fire. In fact, they merely rejected his opus. He's called McAllen, Austin, Galveston, San Antonio, Kerrvile home in Texas, Los Angeles, San Diego and Sausalito in California. Between this, he's called New Orleans and Memphis homes. There are no plaques that he slept anywhere in any of them. His new "permanent" home is McAllen, Texas. He moved here after his rented house in Austin was destroyed in a fire in 2005. He escaped with his dog and a bathrobe. The dog was not wearing the bathrobe.
To schedule an interview on your radio or TV show, or to have him speak at your next gathering, contact him from the link on the right. Click for his speaking credits. Mike can help you plan a trip, organize a group or start a business in Mexico. Fees are posted on the contact page. He'll take a small group (3 people) in his own vehicle for a tour of anywhere in Mexico you wish.