Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America

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Summary: Covers six centuries and twenty countries
Review: Born In Blood And Fire is a superbly presented and concise history of Latin America which covers six centuries and twenty countries, linking accounts of individuals, economics, politics and social structure in a uniform, logical progression of events which will delight both general readers and students seeking an introduction to the region's history. Chapters provide many insights on Latin issues in the process of revealing the history of different nations. Born In Blood And Fire is an invaluable introduction and survey for students of Latin American history.

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Summary: What a tale of terror and injustice!
Review: This book tells the tale of the total inequalities that have infested so much of Latin America over the past five hundred years. The legacy of colonial and Spanish rule is a legacy of serfdom verses elitism. The stories of Cuba and the communist rebellions were totally understandable when appreciated in light of the historical context that this book presents. The history of Brazil, how it was once the seat of the Portuguese royal family, and the various nations on the southern tip of South America that have struggled with development offered a fascinating glimpse at a rarely talked about region of the world. The Cold War and the effects of globalization after de-colonization in Latin America was also fascinating. The analysis of the class structures, and how they have continued in different forms from government to government was detailed and convincing. Also I found the stories of the heroes and heroines of the attempted revolutions penetrating. Mostly I got a sense for the dramatic story that these many diverse and connected peoples have experienced.

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Summary: really great history
Review: To start off Latin America is a vast area, writing a history of it can be difficult but Chasteen does a good job. He starts off by looking at how Latin America has been looked at how the area has been looked at by scholars in the past. He then starts Latin American History with the conquest by the Spanish and Portuguese. Continuing with that theme, Chasteen looks at colonail rule and indendence. Chasteen then focues on how Latin America begins to develop on its own. He describes how liberalism and conservatism came into play in Latin American politics. Further, he deals with Latin America's relationship with the United States and Europe to describe the movements of ideas and migrations of people from Europe to Latin America. The book also deals with Neocolonialism which as America's attempts to influence Latin America. To end Chasteen deals with how Latin America begins to develop on its own during the twentieth century. National movements begin and the area sees populist leaders like Peron in Argentina.