History of Latin America

by Peter Bakewell and Peter J. Bakewell

Book Overview

This complete history of South and Central America is a vivid, analytical narrative appropriately illustrated with maps and photographs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0631205470
• ISBN13: 9780631205470
• Release Date: August 1997
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• Length: 576 Pages
• Weight: 2.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.7" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Great book

I read this book as part of a class I took on Latin American history, and was quite impressed. This book covers the area between the Rio Grande to the southern tip of S. America from the decades just prior to Columbus to the eve of the Great Depression. Within its pages, the book covers the major topics of latin american history and culture such as slavery, race relations, colonialism, socialist movements, land reform, peasant - landlord relations, native rights, and civil wars. Many famous individuals are highlighted such as Simon Bolivar, Pancho Villa, Peron, General Santa Ana, various conquistadors and church leaders, and artists and writers. The book provides insightful discussion of long-running issues such as native rights, and economic reform vis-a-vis land reform / redistribution. All in all, a good book to read.

Mining for History in Latin America

This is an outstanding book, at the same time sweeping and universal as at is nuanced and paying particular attention to the impact of history on individuals and the impact of individuals on history. Professor Bakewell's career as a Latin Americanist historian had been highlighted by his work on the mining region of the city and state of Zacatecas, Mexico, and the important role that it played in financing the Spanish colonial enterprise. While the economic, industrial, and social dimensions of mining are well treated in this volume, this same thorough effort is transferred to other aspects of the history of this vast region of the world stretching from what is now the continental U.S. (California and the U.S. Southwest) to the southernmost tip of South America! The introductions both to the text and to each chapter are particularly strong, while the discussion of economics is written in such a way that will be both of great value to scholars in the field, as well as for general readers. Dr. Bakewell is obviously at the top of his game. Again, the strongest part of this book is how it conveys a solid vision of the past, all the while, engaging the reader. I recommend it to all my students. Nice balance between the universal and the specific! Nice illustrations, solid treatment of Brazil (an area often neglected by Latin Americanists).