Since its U.S. debut a quarter-century ago, this brilliant text has set a new standard for historical scholarship of Latin America. It is also an outstanding political economy, a social and cultural narrative of the highest quality, and perhaps the finest description of primitive capital accumulation since Marx.Rather than chronology, geography, or political successions, Eduardo Galeano has organized the various facets of Latin American history according to the patterns of five centuries of exploitation. Thus he is concerned with gold and silver, cacao and cotton, rubber and coffee, fruit, hides and wool, petroleum, iron, nickel, manganese, copper, aluminum ore, nitrates, and tin. These are the veins which he traces through the body of the entire continent, up to the Rio Grande and throughout the Caribbean, and all the way to their open ends where they empty into the coffers of wealth in the United States and Europe.Weaving fact and imagery into a rich tapestry, Galeano fuses scientific analysis with the passions of a plundered and suffering people. An immense gathering of materials is framed with a vigorous style that never falters in its command of themes. All readers interested in great historical, economic, political, and social writing will find a singular analytical achievement, and an overwhelming narrative that makes history speak, unforgettably.
--This text refers to an alternate
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'Impassioned and lucid, Galeano is a knowledgeable guide through a shameful history of foreign exploitation' -- Observer
`A valuable study' - Sunday Business Post -- Sunday Business Post --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
`A valuable study' - Sunday Business Post -- Sunday Business Post --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Review
`A valuable study' - Sunday Business Post
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By P. Passmore
Format:Paperback
I recommend this book to all students, also to those interested in Latin American history and globalization.
This book will challenge some preconceived ideas on population and the resources of "developing nations". It will also help understand what the free market means to developing countries. Also it is a very enjoyable read. This book is an excellent introduction to Latin American history.
Writing Style:
I read 1/3rd of this book on a train journey, so it is well written and interesting to keep you gripped to the book. I personally found the last half of the book to be the most gripping but overal its an excellent book.
Chapter Structure:
Ok very long chapters but broken down into subchapters which makes all the information bite size and highly focused case studies are used to illustrate different aspects of the overall topic of the chapter.
Overview:
Highly enjoyable and recommended to anyone interested in politics or history.
This is the sort of book which would make a nice gift. On an extra note, I enjoyed this book to the point that I have bought a few of his other books and added them to my pile of must read books for my course. Currently reading Upside down: a Primer for the Looking-Glass World and will have a review up about that book shortly. All depending on when I get to finish it off but some people may prefer that book as it is a lighter read.
This book will challenge some preconceived ideas on population and the resources of "developing nations". It will also help understand what the free market means to developing countries. Also it is a very enjoyable read. This book is an excellent introduction to Latin American history.
Writing Style:
I read 1/3rd of this book on a train journey, so it is well written and interesting to keep you gripped to the book. I personally found the last half of the book to be the most gripping but overal its an excellent book.
Chapter Structure:
Ok very long chapters but broken down into subchapters which makes all the information bite size and highly focused case studies are used to illustrate different aspects of the overall topic of the chapter.
Overview:
Highly enjoyable and recommended to anyone interested in politics or history.
This is the sort of book which would make a nice gift. On an extra note, I enjoyed this book to the point that I have bought a few of his other books and added them to my pile of must read books for my course. Currently reading Upside down: a Primer for the Looking-Glass World and will have a review up about that book shortly. All depending on when I get to finish it off but some people may prefer that book as it is a lighter read.
41 of 46 people found the following review helpful
By Norberto
Format:Paperback
This book can be irritating to quite a few people, such as conservative Brits who are proud of the British Empire and USA nationalists who think they are dominating the world because they happen to be cleverer.
Extremely naive interpretations of recent history are surprisingly widespread. We need more books like this one; it is packed with facts and figures but it is still easy to read. This is probably because Galeano's driving force is his passion for justice.
Extremely naive interpretations of recent history are surprisingly widespread. We need more books like this one; it is packed with facts and figures but it is still easy to read. This is probably because Galeano's driving force is his passion for justice.
38 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
This book is quite simply a classic - indispensable. Ever since the conquest Latin America has been robbed, pillaged, exploited by the imperialist countries (first Spain, then England, now USA) - the very structure of the region reflects its reconstruction over 500 years as a source of much of the wealth that we in the core countries of the world system enjoy and take for granted. Moreover you'll discover things you didn't know, like the destruction of independent and progressive Paraguay in the 19th Century.
Brilliant.
Brilliant.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent read
Firstly upon reading this book I thought it was leaning toward a rant against American policy in Latin America, but the author whilst doing this to begin with, does show in... Read more
Published 1 month ago by travellersoul
5.0 out of 5 stars
Open Veins of Latin America
What a book !
Makes me ashamed of my heritage and yet that is how ALL of OUR world developed. Rape and Pillage, Pillage and more Pillage ! Read more
Makes me ashamed of my heritage and yet that is how ALL of OUR world developed. Rape and Pillage, Pillage and more Pillage ! Read more
Published 6 months ago by GP05EEE
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very insightful
Very interesting and insightful; I find it hard to believe the author is not a professional historian. Read more
Published 24 months ago by Carlo
5.0 out of 5 stars
A superb account of the atrocities committed in Latin America.
This book gives a superbly written, passionate and informative account of the 'pillage of a continent'. Read more
Published on 13 Dec 2010 by Callum Morrison
5.0 out of 5 stars
Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a...
Quite simply a classic book, which tells exactly how the poor countries remain poor and how the rich countries use them to remain rich. Read more
Published on 8 Mar 2010 by Denis Johnston
5.0 out of 5 stars
Aposite Polemic!
This is old (70s) but it's amazing and depressing how little has changes in the power discourse of capitalism. Read more
Published on 7 Oct 2009 by S. Babbidge
5.0 out of 5 stars
We should all read this
this book allows you in a short time to actually understand the role of colonialism and current economics in the underdevelopment of latin america and the 3rd world
Published on 17 July 2009 by release the cure
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential
This is a book that every latin american should have in his/her bookshelves. The English version provides the opportunity for the rest of the world to read it as well; hopefully... Read more
Published on 20 Jun 2009 by Jabberwockian
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Good Read for A Novice on Latin America
I decided to buy this book after seeing Hugo Chavez of Venezuela present it to Barack Obama during the summit meeting of the OAS a couple of months ago. Read more
Published on 22 May 2009 by Daigham Dandashi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Timeless and enlightening read
This book is a fantastic piece of journalistic-style prose describing, in a wonderful impassioned voice, the unending pillage of Latin America. Read more
Published on 30 April 2009 by Thomas Smith
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