Customer Reviews

Papa Doc: Haiti & Its Dictator

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This book is an excellent look back at Francois Duvalier, the quiet little "country doctor" from Haiti who by strange twists of fate became one of the most ruthless dictators in the history of the western hemisphere.

Papa Doc's origins are set against the wild backdrop of Haiti's revolving door governments, and her proximity to the Domincan Republic's bloodthirsty ruler, Rafael Trujillo.

The authors detail the political chess game Duvalier played with rulers like Batista and Castro in Cuba and Eisenhower and Johnson in the United States, playing cold war enemies against each other to secure his own power.

The book moves along quickly, if a bit matter-of-factly. Little analysis of personalities or motives is given, and the events in the book can pass by quickly and chaotically as the real life events in Haiti they chronicle. The prose is spare, but the insights the reader can infer are profound.

In short, anyone interested in the history of Papa Doc's rule in Haiti needs to read this book. It is out of print, but it is worth the search.

This book is a historical document. It is well written and easy to read. I couldn't put it down. It also prepared me for my trip to the island. I have had the pleasure and recommend two of his other books about Dictators: Trujillo; Death of the dictator. and Somosa: and the legacy of US involvement in Central America. A must read for all Political Science Majors or anybody who is interested in politics and dictators.