A Cultural History of Latin America: Literature, Music and the Visual Arts in the 19th and 20th Centuries (The Cambridge History of Latin) [Paperback]

Leslie Bethell (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 13, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0521626269 | ISBN-13: 978-0521626262

A Cultural History of Latin America brings together chapters from Volumes III, IV, and X of The Cambridge History of Latin America. The essays place Latin American literature, music and visual arts in historical context, from the early nineteenth century through the late twentieth century. Topics include narrative fiction and poetry; indigenous literatures and culture; the development of music, sculpture, painting, mural art, and architecture; and the history of Latin American film. Each chapter is accompanied by a bibliographical essay.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The best collaborative history of the region currently available, or likely to be available for a long time to come.' The Times Literary Supplement

'A superb work of reference.' New York Review of Books

'A monument to scholarship ... a tremendous awe-inspiring achievement.' Journal of Latin American Studies

Book Description

A Cultural History of Latin America brings together chapters from Volumes III, IV, and X of The Cambridge History of Latin America. The essays place Latin American literature, music and visual arts in historical context, from the early nineteenth century through the late twentieth century. Topics include narrative fiction and poetry; indigenous literatures and culture; the development of music, sculpture, painting, mural art, and architecture; and the history of Latin American film.Each chapter is accompanied by a bibliographical essay.

Product Details

• Paperback: 548 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (August 13, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521626269
• ISBN-13: 978-0521626262
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,208,088 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Both poor and excellent essays re the region's "culture", October 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Cultural History of Latin America: Literature, Music and the Visual Arts in the 19th and 20th Centuries (The Cambridge History of Latin) (Paperback)

While the latest edition of Leslie Bethell's Oxford "History Of Latin America" series suffers by comparison with others of the series it does provide insight and information on an aspect of Latin America which is often slighted by economic or political analyses of the region. The anthology covers (in order) literature, poetry, Native American art, plastic art, architecture and film. The calibre of the essays varies greatly. Martin's insights into the region's literary trends remind me of Jean Franco's excellent work whereas other sections, such as those on architecture and the plastic, come across as a mere listing of works and their creators. One reason for this is that the various authors were faced with the dilemma of either accurately portraying the region's culture as disparate or tying the various artists together into overall patterns. The authors who sacrificed accuracy were able to analyze in an engaging manner, while those who, correctly, recognized that patterns are few in the region suffered from chaotic and incoherent essays.