At the Fall of Somoza (Pitt Latin American Series) [Hardcover]

Lawrence Pezzullo (Author), Ralph Pezzullo (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Few individuals could provide a more insightful view into the final days of Somoza's government in Nicaragua in 1979 than Lawrence Pezzullo, the U.S. ambassador. Unlike most authors who offer first-hand accounts, Pezzullo and his son Ralph tracked down other actors, high and low, interspersing their interpretations throughout. The wide-ranging interviews both strengthen and broaden Ambassador Pezzullo's account, providing a fitting complement to Bernard Diederich's Somoza, American-Made Dictator ( LJ 9/1/81) and Anthony Lake's Somoza Falling ( LJ 3/1/89). The authors' modest, forthright approach provides a readable, balanced narrative. Highly recommended.
- Roderic A. Camp, Latin American Ctr., Tulane Univ., New Orleans
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Univ of Pittsburgh Pr (Txt) (January 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0822937565
• ISBN-13: 978-0822937562
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,404,794 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Useful, if somewhat suspect, April 15, 2000

By 

Eric Frith - See all my reviews

This review is from: At the Fall of Somoza (Pitt Latin American Series) (Hardcover)

Ambassador Pezzullo arrived in Managua at the end of June, 1979, shortly before the Somoza regime was toppled by a broad opposition coalition led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front. His book recounts the development of the crisis in Nicaragua, and the evolution of U.S. policy toward Somoza. Unfortunately, Pezzullo spends a great deal of time offering his opinions on Nicaraguan history rather than relating his own involvement. His tenure as ambassador to the victorious revolutionaries and, by extension, Carter's changing policy toward them, receives no attention whatsoever.

Nevertheless, this is a primary source of significant value. It is not a scholarly analysis, and like any participant's account, it should be taken with a grain of salt. Viewed in this way it does provide insight to the problems confronting the Carter administration in Nicaragua, and to the mismanagement of its already limited options.