This text presents a multilevel interpretation of the Mexican revolution and the ultimate failure of agrarian reform. It recounts the story of Rosalie Evans, who lost her life defending her Mexican hacienda in defiance of confiscation decrees. The author claims that it is essential to understand the revolutionary process not as a philosophical abstraction, but as intimate human drama. The book provides details of a single case, shedding light on the process of making modern Mexico. Using a variety of sources, the book describes the complexity of international, national, state and local politics and the corresponding diverse responses to this historic attempt at agrarian reform.