The story of the effects of the inquisitional mentality in Spain concerning the conversion to Christianity of the inhabitants of the New World has, until recently, been little studied. Don (history, San Jose State University) examines four Inquisition trials of native leaders in Mexico under Franciscan missionaries. She uses the transcripts of the trials as well as letters from the instigator of the Mexican Inquisition, Bishop Zumárraga to form a picture of complex political activities as the urban native nobility fought to hold on to their authority in the face of colonial pressure and the ambitions of other native families to assume leadership. Don also emphasizes the politics between the Franciscans and both royal and religious authorities in Spain. Despite the inevitable bias of the trial records, Don is able to discover a great deal about indigenous religion, internal struggles and strategies for dealing with the invaders. She stresses that the Inquisition was deemed a failure by Spanish authorities and Zumárraga chastised for overzealousness. This is a well-written study that sheds new light on the use of the Inquisition both in Spain and Mexico as well as portraying the sophistication and variety of the indigenous society. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)