READER BOOK PLUG: Flanagan And The Crown Of Mexico. From reader John Reisinger, who writes: “Many people don’t realize that Cinco de Mayo commemorates the 1862 Battle of Puebla, when the Mexicans fought the invading French army to a standstill. Seen through the eyes of a reluctant Irish-American diplomat/spy, this epic but little-known struggle between the Mexican President Juarez and the foreign Emperor Maximilian is a fascinating look at what else was going on while we were embroiled in our Civil War.”