Made in Mexico

This book explores French imperialism in Latin America in the nineteenth century, taking Mexico as a case study. The standard narrative of nineteenth-century imperialism in Latin America is one of US expansion and British informal influence. However, it was France, not Britain, which made the most concerted effort to counter US power through Louis-Napoléon’s military intervention in Mexico, begun in 1862, which created an empire on the North American continent under the Habsburg Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian.

Polish-born violinist Henryk Szeryng was probably the finest product of Carl Flesch's legendary teaching career (other luminaries to emerge from his studio in the years between the two World Wars include Ivry Gitlis and Ida Haendel). Possessing an iron technique and a musical intellect of rare insight, Szeryng established himself as one of the pre-eminent concert violinists of the post-World War Two decades.

There may be no story today with a wider gap between fact and fiction than the relationship between the United States and Mexico.

There may be no story today with a wider gap between fact and fiction than the relationship between the United States and Mexico.