A Sentimental Education for the Working Man: The Mexico City Penny Press, 1900–1910 by Robert M. Buffington (review)
The book makes its most decisive contribution to the study of nineteenth-century Mexico in chapter 3, by reconstructing a story obscured by the nationalist narrative of the liberal republic’s triumph over Maximilian, the French, and their conservative supporters. Richmond finds that, contrary to its reputation for weakness and ineptitude, the government of Maximilian realized tangible if short-lived improvements in the Yucata ́n. In this account, Maximilian, his wife Carlota, and governor Ilarregui take center stage as protagonists in an epic historical drama. Moreover, its short length and narrative approach make the book suitable for both advanced undergraduate courses and graduate courses.