Monreal, David. 1996 180p. (pbk) ISBN: 0-915745-48-8 180 pgs.$22.00 Price for class use $15.95
Three-time award winner writer, Monreal brings life to the passionate, heroic, and inspiring events
that led to the Battle of Puebla on the 5th of May, 1862. His well researched and well written
historical novel brings in all the characters who played a vital role in Cinco de Mayo. He bring us
Benito Juárez and Porfirio Díaz, the Commander of the Cavalry, who was destined to become
President of Mexico; and the young General Ignacio Zaragoza (1829-1862), who chose Puebla as the
place to stop the French invading forces of Napoleon III, under the command of General Lorencez.
Zaragoza prevailed against the better trained French military officers and battle proven French
African troops. Monreal's assiduous preoccupation with historical accuracy and factual details about
Zaragoza's personal and public life and military career moved him to read all that has been written in
English, Spanish and French sources; led him to avidly explore Puebla-Zaragoza, the site of the
Battle; to meet Zaragoza's proud descendants in search of the little known family story; and to
converse with well known expert historians about what he learned. Monreal's novel is colorful,
exciting and most certainly inspiring. Most highly recommended