This book concerns an indigenous group of Tzotzil-speaking Indians living in the mountain highlands in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico. It has been recognized as one of the most skillful handlings of Indian themes in Mexican literature.

"...a Mexican classic. The first-person narrative traces Juan's life from childhood as he serves in three different armies during the revolution, goes to jail for a crime he only witnessed and returns to his village to serve happily in its religious and civic hierarchy. His vitality and resilience make him the hero of an authentic epic." - The New York Times