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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Introduction,
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This review is from: Cinco de Mayo: What Is Everybody Celebrating? (Paperback)
This book provides a solid and readable account of the French intervention in Mexico from 1861-1867. I had only a very superficial knowledge of this episode because of my interest in the American Civil War. From what I could determine, not much has been written on this eventso I was eager to learn more.The positive points of this book are: 1. The narrative is easy to understand and divided into sections that help to make the story easy to follow. 2. The author does a very sound job of placing the French intervention withing the broader context of the American Civil War, showing the influence these two events had upon each other. 3. The bibliography provides plenty of works for those interested in more detail study of this event. The negative points of this book are: 1. Not one map. There needs to be a general map of Mexico, maps showing the marches of the various forces, and maps showing the courses of the major battles. This is the most significant negative aspect of this book. Maps are essential for a book describing military events. 2. There is a small amount of repetitivneness, but not enough to become bothersome. 3. I would have liked for there to have been a little more discussion on why the French were wanting to establish a monarchy in Mexico. I felt this topic was handle a little to quickly and superficially. 4. Photographs, illustrations, and artwork of the events and people involved would have been a nice addition. 5. The author is not a military historian, and some of his descriptions of military terms may seem a little odd for those who are familiar with military terms. All in all this is a very good read and I would recommend it to those who are interested in Mexican, military, European, or Civil War history.
5.0 out of 5 stars
An entertaining adventure,
By Dick Stanley (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cinco de Mayo: What Is Everybody Celebrating? (Paperback)
Now here's an iUniverse book well worth their otherwise high price for a paperback. I found it hard to put down for long. The battle which the title's event commemorates is dealt with clearly enough to understand why it went the way it did. But who could have guessed the French troops would decide to have a coffee and pastry break beforehand? I never realized just how inept the French commanders really were in Mexico, though Mexican president Juarez and his loyalists would have been tenacious combatants for any such unscrupulous invader. I knew the installed "Emperor" Maximilian was out of his element, but not that he was so truly foolish--or that his more realistic wife had a nervous breakdown. Austin, Texas author Miles has a great eye for colorful detail, and a lot of it is fascinating, such as that a former colonel of a volunteer New York regiment in the American Civil War almost was executed with Maximilian, until the colonel's resourceful wife talked Juarez into sparing him. It beats the dry histories, while being a respectable, well-footnoted history in itself, and with a nice bibliography for further exploration. Except for a few typos, a misleading blurb on the back cover, and some needless repetition, this is a great read.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cinco de Mayo chronicles the war between Mexico and France in plain terms, accessible to readers of all backgrounds,
By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cinco de Mayo: What Is Everybody Celebrating? (Paperback)
Award-winning radio journalist Donald W. Miles presents Cinco de Mayo: What Is Everybody Celebrating?, a historical account of the events that sparked the annual Cinco de Mayo holiday in Mexico. Nearly 150 years ago, when the emperor of France ordered his generals to take over Mexico and use it as a "base" to help the Confederates in the American Civil War against the Union Army, Mexico fought back. On May 5th, 1862, Mexico won a decisive battle against French forces, preserving its independence and preventing foreign interference in the American Civil War, yet it would take Mexico another five years to expel the last of the French soldiers from its borders. Cinco de Mayo chronicles the war between Mexico and France in plain terms, accessible to readers of all backgrounds; notes and an index round out this excellent historical primer especially recommended for public library collections.
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