La derrota de Dios. La historia perdida de Miguel Miramón. (The Deafeat of God

This fictionalized biography about Miguel Miramón, known as the Young Maccabee, a conservative leader in 19th-century Mexico, sheds light on the battles and wars that the conservative movement fought in order to make Mexico a Catholic state. Miramón joined the Mexican army when he was 15 years old and defended Mexico against the U.S. army in 1847. A few years after that battle was lost, he decided to join the conservative movement. His religious beliefs encouraged him to support the creation of a Catholic state, and he successfully recruited and trained a large army. A good resource to learn about Mexico's early years as an independent country, this book provides insight into the history of Mexico during 1847—67, from the U.S. invasion through the Reform War and the Maximilian Empire. (Emperor Maximiliano de Habsburgo, brought from France to Mexico by the conservatives, was captured and executed with Miramón.) The language is direct and simple, the pace is slow and descriptive. Highly recommended for bookstores and libraries with a focus on Mexican history.—María Elena Cruz, Boston