Customer Reviews

Born in Blood & Fire: A Concise History of Latin America, Second Edition

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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?

This book tells the tale of the total inequalities that have infested so much of Latin America over the past five hundred years. The legacy of colonial and Spanish rule is a legacy of serfdom verses elitism. The stories of Cuba and the communist rebellions were totally understandable when appreciated in light of the historical context that this book presents. The history of Brazil, how it was once the seat of the Portuguese royal family, and the various nations on the southern tip of South America that have struggled with development offered a fascinating glimpse at a rarely talked about region of the world. The Cold War and the effects of globalization after de-colonization in Latin America was also fascinating. The analysis of the class structures, and how they have continued in different forms from government to government was detailed and convincing. Also I found the stories of the heroes and heroines of the attempted revolutions penetrating. Mostly I got a sense for the dramatic story that these many diverse and connected peoples have experienced.

A good fast read. If this is your first exposure to Spanish influence on the Americas (New World) it's a good, concise, historically time capsule. Alot of related events transpired over a broad geographic area during the Spanish colonization and Chasteen seems to move very smoothly between the players and the countries involved. This is truly the best historical insight to Latin America I have found in one book. I would recommend this book very highly. It put's everything in prespective if your new to Latin American history.

The author knows his Latin America history and deploys the knowledge adroitly and, indeed, concisely. What I enjoyed is his using of the comparative cases of the various nations as a way of developing some general observations about how nations develop. For me that takes the book from merely informative to riveting.

Born In Blood And Fire is a superbly presented and concise history of Latin America which covers six centuries and twenty countries, linking accounts of individuals, economics, politics and social structure in a uniform, logical progression of events which will delight both general readers and students seeking an introduction to the region's history. Chapters provide many insights on Latin issues in the process of revealing the history of different nations. Born In Blood And Fire is an invaluable introduction and survey for students of Latin American history.

I used this book as a text for my summer school Latin American Studies class. For high school kids, and for a 3-week course, it's a satisfactory cursory look over Latin American history. It breaks everything down into thematic chronology, giving each epoch of history some sort of label: "Post-Colonial Blues," "Neo-Imperialism," etc.

My only real complaint about the book is that the narrative tends to diverge on a consistent basis, as if someone was telling you a story, gets caught up in an aside, and then suddenly remembers that they were talking to you about something else. Also, the information seems somewhat mashed together, with little explanation of who the people he is talking about are, and why they are important.

An interesting read, but there are better books on the subject out there. I recommend Marshall C. Eakin's "The History of Latin America: Collision of Cultures" instead.

I was assigned to read this book for my class in Latin American Studies. I especially liked the time line the author inserts before chapter 1 and the time lines he inserts for each period. The information in this book is extensive and serves well as a textbook.

One of our children is involved in the school academic club. In preparation for an upcoming meet the team has to read this book. For this review we can only say the book has met all expectations.

We purchased the book used and the quality was great! We will continue to purchase a mix of new and used books as appropriate for the usage and perceived length of ownership.

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.

Upon first learning of the book I thought I would enjoy this read. Perhaps I expected too much, but it was a letdown in my opinion. I did not enjoy this book because it seemed too broad. I understand that the author is trying to put all of Latin America in one book but I believe he falls short in all parts of it.I did find it as a decent place to start, but it was not much better nor more informative than simply learning about Latin American Hisitory [...]. Over all i would recommend this book for middleschool or highschool students interested in learning Latin American History; any other readers might be dissapointed with the read.