Working Hard, Drinking Hard: On Violence and Survival in Honduras [Paperback]

Adrienne Pine (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0520255445 | ISBN-13: 978-0520255449 | Publication Date: May 7, 2008 | Edition: 1

"Honduras is violent." Adrienne Pine situates this oft-repeated claim at the center of her vivid and nuanced chronicle of Honduran subjectivity. Through an examination of three major subject areas--violence, alcohol, and the export-processing (maquiladora) industry--Pine explores the daily relationships and routines of urban Hondurans. She views their lives in the context of the vast economic footprint on and ideological domination of the region by the United States, powerfully elucidating the extent of Honduras's dependence. She provides a historically situated ethnographic analysis of this fraught relationship and the effect it has had on Hondurans' understanding of who they are. The result is a rich and visceral portrait of a culture buffeted by the forces of globalization and inequality.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Pine has written a path-breaking book that forms an analytical bridge between the structures of neoliberalism and daily life for the poor who live within its midst."--Estudios Interdisciplinarios De America Latina Y El Caribe (Eial)

From the Inside Flap

"A theoretically cutting edge ethnography of neoliberalism as suffered by most poor people across the globe. Pine creatively links macro-structural forces in Honduras to the everyday life of factory workers, shanty town dwellers, gang kids, alcoholics and crack smokers within the context of globalized consumerism and the history of U.S. domination of Central America."--Philippe Bourgois, author of In Search of Respect

"Gutsy fieldwork. A compassionate analysis of the links between work, violence, corporate capitalism, American empire, and self-worth. It will make your blood boil."--Laura Nader, University of California, Berkeley

"Using largely the voices of others, Pine's rigorous but sensitive anthropological approach interweaves gangs, work, religion, drink, politics, and even globalization to show clearly how violence pervades the everyday life of many Hondurans. It is a realistic tour de force!"--Dwight B. Heath, Brown University

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press; 1 edition (May 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520255445
• ISBN-13: 978-0520255449
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #458,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > History > Americas > Central America > Honduras

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring and accessible journey, August 15, 2008

By 

A. Justus (Rochester, NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Working Hard, Drinking Hard: On Violence and Survival in Honduras (Paperback)

Pine's "Working Hard, Drinking Hard" left me feeling impressed with her grasp and relay of the often confusing social and economic landscape in Honduran life. Her willingness to grapple with modern issues of inequality, globalization, and violence were an eye-opening and shocking view into modern Honduras. Similarly, the sensitivity and commitment to both macro and micro level issues was refreshing and thought provoking. Pine has a real knack for making often overwhelming issues very digestible to academicians and non-academicians alike. This is a satisfying read that imparts important and valuable knowledge. It deserves a place on the shelves of all persons concerned about and interested in social, political, and economic change.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Working Hard Drinking Hard, August 16, 2008

By 

Timothy J. Kirk "T.Kirk" (Boston) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Working Hard, Drinking Hard: On Violence and Survival in Honduras (Paperback)

Working Hard and Drinking Hard is required reading for people who are concerned about the real-life consequences of globalization and misguided US policy in Latin America. It connects emperical (often times gut wrenching) evidence of the affect of gang violence, and substance abuse in Honduras, without being maudlin. The book is a a triumph and a challenge to those "whose compassion may wither" if not put into action. Readers of Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein will enjoy Working Hard and the real life details Pine weaves through the book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent ethnography!, November 5, 2009

By 

M. Schellentrager (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Working Hard, Drinking Hard: On Violence and Survival in Honduras (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading Working Hard, Drinking Hard immensely. I had very little knowledge of Honduras before reading it, but Pine's background information was more than sufficient for my understanding. It is an incredibly accessible ethnography that kept me enthralled like a novel, which I value as essential for public anthropology. Pine's book includes theory but isn't overburdened by it. It includes her personal perspective and experiences but simultaneously greatly values the perspectives of her Honduran collaborators. A fascinating read!