Lima: A Cultural History (Cityscapes) [Paperback]

James Higgins (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0195178904 | ISBN-13: 978-0195178906 | Publication Date: January 6, 2005

Formerly the viceregal capital of Spain's vast South American empire, Lima is today a sprawling metropolis struggling to cope with a population of eight million. Located on the coast between the Andean foothills and the Pacific Ocean, it is many cities in one, with an indigenous past, an old colonial heart, and turn-of-the-century quarters modeled on Paris. Leafy suburbs like San Isidro and tranquil seaside communities such as Barranco contrast with ever-expanding shantytowns. Lima has always dominated national life, as the center of political and economic power. Long a stronghold of the European elite, the city is now home to millions of Peruvians from the Andean region as well as the descendants of African slaves and migrants from Europe, China and Japan. As a popular saying puts it, the whole of Peru is now in Lima. James Higgins explores the city's history and evolving identity as reflected in its architecture, literature, painting and music. Tracing its trajectory from colonial enclave to modern metropolis, he reveals how the capital now embodies the diversity and dynamism of Peru itself. -- CITY OF HISTORY: ceremonial sites and museums of pre-Hispanic antiquities; colonial churches and mansions; the Museum of the Inquisition; monuments to the heroes of Independence. -- CITY OF CULTURE: pre-Columbian textiles, pottery and goldwork; Baroque architecture and art; writers such as Mario Vargas Llosa and Alfredo Bryce Echenique; painters and sculptors; a vibrant popular culture. -- CITY OF MULTICULTURAL EXCHANGE: the indigenous legacy; the imposition of Spanish culture; African slaves; European and Asian immigrants; mass migration from the provinces.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Lima boasts a Nobel Prize-winning author (Mario Vargas Llosa) and a wealth of lesser known poets and novelists, who have created its rich literary history. Higgins, an academic specialist in Peruvian literature, quotes extensively from these writers as he chronicles Lima's history from its founding by conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1535 to the political gyrations of recent decades. Most of all, Higgins encourages readers to linger in Lima instead of rushing through en route to Machu Picchu. Both works will reward the traveler in search of a city's character. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author

James Higgins Professor at Liverpool University, specializes in Peruvian literature. A regular visitor to Lima since the 1960s, he is an honorary professor of the city's University of San Marcos and a corresponding fellow of the Peruvian Academy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (January 6, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195178904
• ISBN-13: 978-0195178906
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #561,296 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read...especially for frequent visitors of Lima, April 16, 2005

By 

Bert Ruiz "Author" (Pleasantville, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lima: A Cultural History (Cityscapes) (Paperback)

James Higgins describes the "mysterious city," of Lima with such great expertise that even frequent visitors of Lima will benefit from this new Oxford University Press publication. On that note...if you are going to Lima for the first time, certainly do yourself the favor and buy this book.

This is a five part book. Part One is short (14 pages), introduces Lima's setting, climate, history, power struggles, painful independence and modernization and change. Part Two is super short (7 pages) and reviews the pre-history of Lima. Part Three and Four is the meat of the book and provides an extensive guide to practically everything of historical importance to Lima. Finally, Part Five covers the expanding metropolis and ends with a passage on the future.

James Higgins is a master of Lima's history, architecture, literature, painting and music. Moreover, the author includes outstanding drawings, a list of further reading (on pgs. 232 -235), plus a highly organized index of literary and historical names as well as a detailed index of places. This book is mandatory reading for the serious visitors of Lima. Highly recommended.

Bert Ruiz

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reference on the history and reality of Lima, Peru, October 29, 2010

By 

I read therefore I am (Napa, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Lima: A Cultural History (Cityscapes) (Paperback)

I highly recommend this book if you're traveling to Peru and would like to know about Lima's history, treasures, problems. It's very useful for people doing Latin American studies.