The Labyrinth of Solitude (1950) by Nobel laureate Octavio Paz is a seminal collection of nine essays that explores the complex identity of the Mexican people and the universal human condition of isolation. Paz argues that Mexicans live in a state of solitude, a "labyrinth" resulting from a historical struggle to reconcile their indigenous and Spanish heritage. The labyrinth of solitude: Octavio Paz: Journey of a braid