Rating: 
Summary: Upside down
Review: While Eduardo Galeano makes some very valid points about how messed up our perception of what a properly functioning world is, He doesnt offer much more then that. He gives minimal suggestions as to how to turn our world right again. This perhaps was his point that this book was only to point out the problems and leave the reader to find the means to fix it.
I would highly recomend to any reader that they read this book cover to cover and then go reread the few parts that dont quite sink in. I found that after the second time through I was able to relate a lot more of his thoughts. Also try to keep an open political and economic outlook I garantee if you a strongly(First world) opinionated you will find yourself wanting to tear the pages up.
Rating: 
Summary: A primer for tackling the issues
Review: While I am a supporter of most (but not all) of Galeano's views, I can't share with others the enthusiasm for this book.It's not the lack of solutions offered by the author . . . pointing out something wrong does not mandate that one must offer the solution. That's just an illogical fallacy. Sometimes things are just wrong, period, and we need time to figure out what will work. My problem with this book is that it doesn't deliver what it promises. The "through the looking glass" approach is restricted primarily to boxed in asides throughout the book where the author gives us unusual perspectives or anecdotes that will either make you laugh or cry. These portions of the book are by far the best and the most original. Unfortunately, this is only a small percentage of the book's contents. The majority of the text comes off as pure rants. Justified rants, mind you, but rants nonetheless. If you're heavily active in progressive causes this will likely leave you cold. Who needs more complaining about the obvious? If, however, you're new to progressive causes, anti-corporate globalization, etc. or aren't that active then this might be a great place to start. I can only offer a partial recommendation for this book. It has a select audience, one that I'm most definitely not a part of. I just really wish Galeano had stuck to the parts that worked. Many of the asides are brillant little tid bits of information that will force you to look at things differently. But the rest is just the same old same old depressing news you can get off any activist web site.
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