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Summary:
Made up of 20 very different countries, Latin America has sometimes been treated as though it were a homogeneous unit, one mired in poverty and political instability. University of North Carolina scholar John Charles Chasteen's sweeping history of the region imparts a sense of how diverse--ethnically, linguistically, culturally--Latin America truly is, and of how that part of the world is rapidly changing, mostly for the better. (For example, he writes, "in 1980 most governments of the region were dictatorships of various descriptions. In 2000, elected governments rule almost everywhere.")
Chasteen observes that, although Latin America came into being under the imperial aegis of a few European powers, principally Spain and Portugal, it quickly branched into sometimes conflicting regions with widely differing ideas of economic development and government. He goes on to examine the careers of some of Latin America's most important historical figures, among them Simon Bolivar, who spread a revolutionary gospel of independence throughout the hemisphere, and Lázaro Cárdenas, the Mexican president who, in 1938, nationalized the oil industry and set his nation on a difficult course toward economic self-government. Of particular interest is Chasteen's consideration of the many reasons Latin American governments have clashed with that of the United States--among them disenchantment over the 1947 Marshall Plan, which rebuilt Germany at enormous cost, while offering almost no assistance to needy Latin American allies.
Designed as an undergraduate textbook, Chasteen's survey offers a useful overview of a region that, although of growing importance in world affairs, remains little understood. --Gregory McNamee
Customer Reviews:
Average Customer Rating:
Good Intro to Latin American History
Customer Rating:
Though maybe a little to sympathetic to Castro, this is a great book on the history of Latin America. For people like me, who know very little about this area of the world, this book was a great help. Well written, well organized, and right to the point.
I recommend this for AP World History classes and anyone who needs a some background in Latin American history.
Great book!
Customer Rating:
This is a great book. Required for my class. You can probably find this book a few bucks cheaper. I rather pay the extra dough and save on time and hassle wasted like waiting in line during the beginning days of school or waiting for the auction to end or hoping the seller ships your book to get it before the beginning weeks of class. Just save time and sanity and purchase from amazon.
Latin American Nutshell
Customer Rating:
Chasteen does a wonderful job explaining most of the history of Latin America. Though a history compilation, Born in Blood and Fire reads almost as a narrative. A quick and simple read that is a must have for any Latin American novice. My only complaint is that he sometimes skims over the history of a few of the smaller nations. This can incorrectly send the reader a message of insignificance.
For what it is, it isn't bad
Customer Rating:
I am reading this book for a class on Independence and Nationalism in Latin America and find that it is only appropriate for a very general survey of Latin American history. It is, perhaps, too concise! It is, however, informative and a very simple read. Chasteen wanted to make a history of Latin America readable and approachable and this book is definitely both. I would recommend this text with reservations. It paints a picture that is somewhat biased and full of holes. As an introductory reader, however, it succeeds.
Would have given it a four-star rating, but the edition pictured (2006, second edition) is riddled with typographical errors. The index cites pages that are either blank or diagrams not related to the terms. Not exactly helpful! For example, the entry for Diego Rivera points to page 215, which is BLANK. The other side of the page (216) is in fact a mural by Rivera, but what gives?
History Light
Customer Rating:
You have probably seen movies about Che Guevera or Eva Peron, but do you know in which countries they had influence? You probably know how the Cold War affected U.S. policy in Asia, but do you know how it affected Latin America? You may know about European immigrants living in New York or Chicago, but did you know they flocked to Latin America as well? If the answer to these questions is "no," you need this book. It is a quick, easy read, covering more than 500 years in a little over 300 pages. Of course, details are sparse, but it is an excellent way to gain a basic understanding of our neighbors to the south. I was particularly glad to see segments that told about the lives of particular groups in Latin America since its European conquest to present including minority groups and women. Ever had Moctezuma's revenge? Now you can find out why Moctezuma is so angry!
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