The Penguin History of Latin America [Mass Market Paperback]

Edwin Williamson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1995 | Series: Penguin History

This title traces 500 years of history from the time of Columbus and the Spanish Conquest to the present day. It shows how the turbulent modernization which started in the eighteenth century continued into the twentieth century.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Penguin has contributed numerous useful works in its Latin American series, and this comprehensive, historical survey of the region is no exception. Williamson (Univ. of Edinburgh) has accomplished a nearly impossible task: He has produced a lucid, objective interpretation for the nonspecialist reader. The book is organized topically, rather than by country, and the author wisely selected regional examples of his major themes, rather than attempting a detailed analysis of each country. The work ends with an unusual exploration of literature and culture in relation to identity and modernization, followed by a helpful bibliographic essay. Highly recommended for most libraries.
- Roderic A. Camp, Latin American Ctr., Tulane Univ., New Orleans, La.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Edwin Williamson is the King Alfonso XIII Chair of Spanish at Oxford University. His other book, Borges: A Life was also published by Penguin.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 640 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (January 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140125590
• ISBN-13: 978-0140125597
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #513,139 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction to the Subject, July 27, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Penguin History of Latin America (Mass Market Paperback)

As someone who always wondered about Latin American history - this book offered a superb introduction. It combines a broad sweep over the colonial period with briefer country-specific essays on the post-colonial histories of the the larger Latin Anerican nations. Reading it one gets a good sense of the common heritage of South America.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful introduction to Latin American history, April 10, 2008

By 

DKim (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Penguin History of Latin America (Mass Market Paperback)

As others have noted, this is a highly readable introduction to Latin American history. I had no background whatsoever on this subject and wanted to find out more, and this was just the right book. I found its coverage of modern (i.e., 19th and 20th century) history of Brazil, Chile, and Mexico to be quite illuminating. However, its treatment of cultural history was not as useful; I wish he had provided more excerpts of the original works of the writers and poets discussed. But, all in all, a very handy introduction. I am going to proceed to other books on Latin American history, and that is due in no small part to this work.

24 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exhaustive introduction to Latin America, August 26, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Santiago, Chile) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Penguin History of Latin America (Mass Market Paperback)

This book is a testimony that Mr. Williamson can be rated as a top notch literary critic. He is also a good English Historian. So here you have it: he combines the sensibility and mastery of language of a man of letters with the rigor and deapth of knowledge of an academic Historian to give us an introduction to Latin America through her history. What results is a complete and readable synthesis of the main currents in Latin politics, economy, society and literature.

Mr. Williamson's underlying thesis is that of the search of Latin American societies for Modernity defined as a democratic, liberal and self-conscious state of affairs. The history is therefore roller-coasterish. But then Mr. Williamson will make your ride enjoyable.