Symbol Maker's Daughter: the end of the War of the Roses

Symbol Maker’s Daughter by Clare Gutierrez is a tale of intrigue, mystery and destiny as the fight for the English throne continues. The War of the Roses has been ranging between two houses of the Plantagenets: Lancaster and York since 1455. In 1483, Edward IV died, leaving his throne to his young son, but his ambitious brother, Richard, took the throne in the young boy’s place. Edward’s two sons were placed in the Tower under the guise of their protection. But there is a growing, secret support for another claim to the throne, a young man named Henry Tudor.. Lord Weldon began to have dreams, dreams with vivid images that he recreates the symbols for the images he saw. He entrusts his daughter, Nicola, to deliver these symbols. Nicola sets out on a perilous journey that could be life and death for her and the crossroads of history. 

The War of the Roses has always been taught in passing and I know very little how it began or how it ended. This book is the tail end of the war as Richard, Duke of Gloucester, becomes Richard III and meets Henry Tudor on the battlefield. While history already tells us Henry wins the crown to become Henry VII, political alliances, rumors of witchcraft and murder, everyone questions who or what they can trust. History could have been different. Symbol Maker’s Daughter is an interesting take on the events that lead to the end of the War of the Roses. It is a very detailed story with many moving parts. I read the book in about a week, which is a rarity for me. However, because the story was so detailed and intricate, this story requires a slow read to understand the events. I recommend Symbol Maker’s Daughter. 

Symbol Maker’s Daughter is available in paperback and eBook

El Cinco de Mayo: a look into its surprising origins

El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition by David E. Hayes-Bautista is a historical, societal and political look into the origins of the popular holiday, Cinco de Mayo, as an American invention and not one transplanted from Mexico. Knowledge about the history and origins of the holiday had been lost in time as many celebrated with no real understanding why it was celebrated in the first place. Maybe people incorrectly assume Cinco de Mayo came to America with the immigrants after WWII. Mr. Hayes-Bautista witnessed spectacular celebration of Cinco de Mayo in the US in 1960s at the height of the Chicano movement and almost no celebrations in Mexico during the same decade. He set out to find out way and focused his book on the development of Cinco de Mayo in the US. What he discovered was a socially and deliberately constructed holiday in response to the events and changes around Latinos living in California during the Civil War.

Cinco de Mayo is a celebration commemorating the First Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The United States had been at civil war since April 1861. Napoleon III, the Emperor of France, took advantage of the US’s inability to enforce the Monroe Doctrine (1823) and began an invasion of Mexico. The French lost the First Battle of Puebla but continued to occupy Mexico for another five years. So why is the First Battle of Puebla still commemorated by Latinos in California and the US as whole today? Because a network of Latino groups in California known as the juntas patrióticas mejicanas (Mexican Patriotic Assemblies) helped create and maintain a public memory of the day. The juntas used the Cinco de Mayo to encourage support defense of freedom and democracy for the US and Mexico. The juntas eventually ended after WWII but their influenced continued as the Latino communities grew and Cinco de Mayo became a day to help highlight trends and problems in their communities. By 1986, the true meaning and origins behind the holiday was truly lost in public memory. “One of the great traditions that has come to the United States from Mexico is the celebration of the Cinco de Mayo” (William Davila, then president of Vons grocery stories, 1994).

Growing up in California and having the Latino influence in my life, I was aware Cinco de Mayo referred to the Battle of Puebla; however, I was not aware of the depth of the holiday or its true origins. As Mr. Hayes-Bautista states, “It did not seem to occur to anyone that the commemoration of the first battle of Puebla might have originated in California.” Cinco de Mayo is a genuine American holiday. Created in California and echoed in Oregon, Nevada and eventually across the nation. It originated in devotion to basic American values of freedom and democracy. El Cinco de Mayo is a great and detailed book as it explores the origins and growth of the Cinco de Mayo. I now have a new understanding and greater appreciation for the holiday. Cinco de Mayo is as American as Thanksgiving and should be celebrated by all. I highly recommend El Cinco de Mayo for anyone who is curious and wishes to learn more about Cinco de Mayo.

El Cinco de Mayo: An American Tradition

is available in paperback and eBook