The Penguin History of Latin America

Edwin Williamson's authoritative work traces 500 years of Latin American history from the time of Columbus to the present day. It begins with the Spanish and Portuguese conquests in the sixteenth century and discusses the Iberian empires in the New World; it shows how the upheavals that eventually undermined colonial rule led to bitter conflicts in the independent nations that followed; and goes on to analyse this turbulent modernization into the twentieth century. As well as giving an overview of the last hundred years, the author also looks in detail at developments within Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Cuba.--from the book jacket'A first-rate work of history... His cool, scholarly gaze and synthesizing intelligence demystify a part of the world peculiarly prone to myth-making... This book covers an enormous amount of ground, geographically and culturally'--Tony Gould, Independent on Sunday'An excellent general history... clear in its narrative, interesting in its analysis and consistently intelligent in its judgements... It will be a tremendous asset for teaching Latin American history.'--The Times Higher Education Supplement'The merits of Professor Williamson's books are considerable. The prose flows easily... He has used most of the enormous number of up-to-date sources... The Cuban section is particularly good'--Hugh Thomas, The Timesdescription: viii, 631p.: maps; 19.7cm.This book shares its ISBN with an edition featuring different cover art: ISBN: 0140125590.