Excellent Detail on the Violence of Colonization
580340
An engaging (and fast) read. A must read for any one in the African diaspora experiencing some kind of change in social class (e.g. being first in the family to attend college or graduate school) or otherwise having suspicions about the sources of their feelings of alienation. Specifically, this is an amazingly relevant depiction of the pain experienced by those who do as they're told and pursue education to "better themselves": the richness of this book's characters show just how many costs go unstated by those who have the privilege of not paying said costs and unacknowledged by those who haven't had to go through the violent process of being harshly disciplined into being acceptable by the dominant segments of society.

Nyasha's character resonated most with me: I, too, feel frustrated by what seems to be an obvious oppressive reality around me as well as the extreme deprivation that can encourage oppressed people to appear complicit. Additionally, most of the other characters also helped open my eyes to the ways that I have failed to understand why people with situations different from my own can seem complicit in their own subordination. The discussion of how gender plays out also may be eye-opening for those with little clarity on the violence that seeming innocuous hierarchies produce (e.g. even "good" people can enact said violence). I plan on reading the sequel, although I've heard it's not as good.

I also recommend this book to:
-Any person who doesn't understand the severity of the violence of colonization on those who have been colonized (e.g. people who aren't part of a colonized group, people who firmly believe today's racism is "less bad" than yesterday's)
-Those who don't see why people in the African diaspora are often concerned with what often is written off as mere "identity politics" (as opposed to a legitimate sense of loss)
-Any person who is having a hard time understanding how "nice" and "good" people are still among the hands that enact violence against colonized peoples
-Any person who is having a hard time understanding how a "minority" can be among the hands that enact violence against (their own) colonized people (e.g. people who firmly believe in a rigid category of "sell-outs")
3515847
I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes violent history. He was on a lifelong mission since the age of 13 when he saw his dad murdered by Indians for no apparent reason. He took an oath to himself, to kill every Indian who crossed his past. And he almost lived up to that until the day he died. At least he tried to only kill the aggressive Indians who swore to kill all white men.
2577282
"US officials railed against the Sandinistas for nationalizing property, but they had never criticized the dictator Somoza for personally owning much of the country..."

Blood on the Border is Roxanne Dunbar-Oritz's maddening search for identity amidst the life-or-death Sandinista Revolution and collapsing social movements in the U.S. during the Ronald Reagan `80s.

As a witness to many great crimes against humanity, the author deftly balances between her own struggles with alcohol, humanizing the Nicaraguan people (especially the misunderstood and maligned indigenous Miskitu people) and recounting harrowing run-ins with "the other side" in the form of CIA agents, State Department officials, mercenary guns-for-hire, Christian fundamentalists and Somozistas.

This is a well-written, important contribution to the history of the Sandinista Revolution and the U.S. Left in the 1980s. Specifically, its unique focus on the role of indigenous people in a wider social revolution is invaluable. The misunderstandings with the Sadinistatas and manipulation of the Miskitu  and other Atlantic Coast Indians by the U.S./Contras is telling of the present war on Iraq's ethnic conflict.

The author's post-Maoist politics shine through her actions--including her obsession with the United Nations--and leads one to wonder if her tremendous knowledge, talents and convictions might have been more helpful had they not brought her to UN conference after conference?

The better we understand Nicaragua and the United States' dirty war against the Sandinistas, the better we will be poised to confront today's imperialism. After all, the author observes, from then-U.S. Ambassador to Honduras John Negroponte to then-Reagan advisor Donald Rumsfeld, it's a lot of the same cretins running the show today.
2236494
This edition is full of useful history. The book kept me interested till the very end also. Orellana was an exception to the Conquistador
code of genocide. The Amazon would still carry his name if he'd survived his second attempt to explore the area, too. But he pushed his luck too far and he died grief stricken after his doomed 2nd attempt fell apart. very good read, thanks, Buddy Levy!
908165
It's easy to forget the degree to which American exceptionalism casts a shadow over our memories of what we learned on the founding of the British colonies in North America.  This book, written with exceptional liveliness for history and cartography, is a sharp reminder how marginal and, let's face it, not that interesting, were the tiny British colonies of seventeenth century North America as the Portuguese, the Dutch and then the English fought global colonial war, mainly in the effort to control the spice trade of the Far East.  The great amounts of wealth at stake and the battles accompanying  this conquest are well recounted by Burnet along with the fascinatingly cosmopolitan character of the trade with the Arabs, Muslims and others.  And certainly there is nothing apologetic about the brutality and enslavement the conquest involved.
1228910
I'll keep this short, but suffice to say that this is an amazing overview of sites in the Four Corners area where cannibalism and violence took place.  The evidence is very compelling, the sections of the book well organized, the arguments coherent, and the photographic evidence is overwhelming.  If you are versed in Anasazi history, I highly suggest this book.  If however, you are new to the subject of the Anasazi, I'd really suggest you read a volume that gives a better overview of who they were, what was going on in the Southwest at that time, and is all in all more about the people and the land, rather than this particular subject.

All in all a very well put together piece of work, certainly not for the casual reader.  Definitely handles a macabre subject without any sensationalism or shock value.
4237710
Prior to reading this book, I watched the multi-part documentary "Have You Heard From Johannesburg." The 1st part talked a bit about the Sharpeville Massacre. This book goes into great detail on what led to the protest which led to that massacre, namely Black South Africans opposing the "Pass laws", which require them to have a what amounts to a passport wherever they go outside of their compounds or designated areas. Although not really talked about here, these laws also affected Indians who would later play a big role in the anti-apartheid movement.

The details from those who either witness or survived the massacre are chilling to say the least. Besides accounts from what happened in Sharpeville, there's also a mini-history on the African National Congress, or ANC, the largest political opposition group to Apartheid South Africa before it was banned & want underground & aboard to slowly built up the anti-apartheid movement which came to full circle in the 1980s. The date of the Sharpeville Massacre (March 21) is now a national holiday in South Africa & there's a memorial at the spot where the incident told place, although the mental affects of what happened more than 50 years is still present in the city. Nonetheless, if you want to know more about that fateful day & the impact it had on the country, this is something to check out.
311450
Set in the British West Indies, Jamaica, in 1831-32 when sugar cane plantations, slavery and a mostly British aristocracy living in `Great Houses' were the order of the day.

Slavery was on the brink and slaves were becoming restless having been encouraged and incited by word of `freedom papers' arriving from England.

The book takes us through the `troubles' now known as `The Baptist Wars' stirred up by Baptist preacher Sam Sharpe. Sharpe originally called for a peaceful sit-down demonstration which did not go exactly as planned and turned out to be a very bloody affair.

The book is replete with vivid detail and descriptions of how the population lived, and died - slave and slave owners alike - it does not spare sensibilities nor does it sugarcoat matters. There are instances which the reader may very well find distasteful, but this does not make it any less true.

However, the narrative is so much more than that. The friendship between Neddy, a free Negro boy (the principal character) and Watt Tyler-Cope a young Englishman newly arrived on the island to take up a position as Bookkeeper on one of the estates (a position not that far off from a slave) is what holds the story together giving it a breath of life, a touch of wit and relief from the burdensome horrific aspects. An unlikely friendship in that place at that time - it portrays a depth of sincerity, camaraderie and honesty that any friendship would be fortunate to share.

One interesting point dealt with in several places within the 552 pages is the ambivalence on the part of some of the enslaved. Most notable as Neddy muses: "There were so many edges to the coin of freedom, he realized, and he would have to reconsider its shape." (Pg. 489)

Anyone unfamiliar with the vernacular of the island may have difficulty with the dialogue; however there is a comprehensive Glossary at the back of the book that will be helpful.

(If I could add music to this review it would be Chariots of Fire by Vangelis in honour of the author).
564877
I have been interested in acquiring a book about the South American War in the Pacific for some time, with little initial success. There is a dearth of material written in English on the subject, despite the impact the war has had on the region, even to this day. It is for this reason that I was very pleased to find Mr. Sater's book on Amazon.com, and I promptly ordered a copy. I was not disappointed.

The author does an excellent job of describing the events leading up to the war, as well as the prosecution of the conflict. It is clear that the author's specialization is the history of Chile, but that does not stop the author from providing an even-handed account of the strengths and weaknesses of all of the belligerents. The author presents the issues as they were perceived from all sides, and provides detailed accounts of the order of battle for each country during the major engagements. The chapter devoted to the naval campaign is particularly strong.

I do have some criticisms of this tome, some of which could have been easily avoided. There were a number of typos and grammatical errors in the book. These errors do not detract from the readability of the book, but they do detract from the quality of the volume. I also am inclined to agree with the previous reviewer that the lack of a pre-conflict map of the region is a definite negative. Considering the war was fought over regions of Peru and Bolivia that were eventually ceded to Chile, a map showing where those territories were in relation to the modern borders would have been helpful.

Despite those minor issues, I must give this book a ringing endorsement (for what that is worth, considering I am not a particularly important person). I strongly recommend this book for anyone interesed in the War of the Pacific, 19th Century military history, or South American history in general.
2708082
What a great book!  Most other histories on the region and the period give little insight into native prerogatives, summarily attributing alliances to one factor or another. Mr. McConnell gives a much needed look into the intricacies of native politics, negotiations (in their own societies) and the effects they had on the larger actions we are acquainted with.  It is amazing how the understanding of native affairs in the period, even if limited to a few, disappeared from "history" and what we've been taught of it for centuries. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in the late colonial period and the difficulties faced by both Euro-Americans and the natives.  So many of the lessons of this difficult time, both the successes and failures can be applied to other American and global struggles highlighting the adage that those who fail to learn are doomed to repeat.
3809414
While I appreciate the comment about being frustrated, how can one possibly look at colonial history without talking about conquest and domination and killing Indian people (Sadly, this is almost a definition of colonial history)?

The purpose of a colony, especially a mercantilist colony (which Spain, England, France, and Russia were, incidentally) is that the colony survives for the benefit of the mother country.
But, unlike the English and French regions, Spaniards had to have contracts from the king to settle or explore, as Kessell makes very clear, and had to abide by over 8,000 rules and regulations about the Indies. No other European colony had accountability like the Spanish. This book is far from Black Legend (I have some suggestions for that).

Colonial history is about conquest, domination (how else do you turn something into a colony?), control, exploitation (some worse than others), but they all had to follow the regulations set up in the Recopilacion de las leyes de las Indias==and even Onate was found guilty of using excessive force against the Acoma Pueblos, living immorally, executing two of his own colonists (and more--, even though he eventually got exonerated by King Philip IV).

While this book delves into COLONIAL history from a Spanish perspective, it is about as balanced as one can get. My only complaint is also a compliment--Kessell is an amazing storyteller (the way history should be), but sometimes the storytelling gets the reader off track and it's hard to come back to the flow of the chapter.

Good on ya, Kessell.  Great book!
2758984
"No Longer At Ease" deals with a theme that is well-developed by Achebe, i.e. the exploration of the interaction between rapid modernization (or, better stated, Westernization) brought to Africa by colonial (mis)rule on the one hand, and tradition on the other. I actually think this book is better than "Things Fall Apart," in which Achebe depicts the brutality of the outright conquest of an African society by a colonial power (in this case the British). In "No Longer At Ease" he shows the deep and drastic changes which occurred in society in Nigeria as colonial rule became established, and how this change warped social relations in the country. Society in the colony is no longer something created and maintained by the native Africans, but rather an imitation (or attempt thereof) of the colonial power's society. It lies somwhere in between, because it's not traditional, yet the natives are treated like second-class citizens in their own country. Through the central character, Achebe does an excellent job of evoking the alienation and frustration this engenders among those Nigerians who are Western-educated and urbanized, yet not really able or allowed to participate in decision-making in any meaningful way. Achebe is a truly masterful writer who can convey such a potent message through literature.
974396
Very enlightening regarding the effects of colonialism on the creation of museums in the Caribbean as well as the Americas.
1513134
Jean Hatzfeld's "A Time for Machetes", along with its sequel "Into the Quick of Life", are in my opinion the two best works discussing the Rwandan genocide in 1994.

What makes these two books so exceptional is that they convey the violence in Rwanda from the viewpoints of both the criminals and the victims. "A Time for Machetes" is based on interviews with gang-members of Hutu death-squads who perpetrated most of the killings of Tutsis during the genocide. Hatzfeld interviewed these people in prison while they were awaiting trial for their crimes. "Into the Quick of Life" explores the other side and relates the experiences of fourteen Tutsi survivors. Their testimonies were passed on to the UN International Criminal Tribunal in Rwanda as documentary evidence. Apart from a brief two or three page introduction about the genocide, neither of the two books contain any editorial comment from the author. Instead, Hatzfeld simply chooses to let each person unfold their story in turn one after the other, knowing that these are powerful enough to speak for themselves.

The reader will learn how village communities where Hutus and Tutsis had peacefully coexisted for years were suddenly torn asunder by a violent frenzy of murder. People whose families had been friends for generations denounced one another on the slightest pretext: jealousy, ambition, material greed, long-standing rows. Any excuse was good to rid oneself of cumbersome rivals and achieve one's aims. The distress of the Tutsi women is especially poignant considering that rape followed by execution was a systematic feature of the genocide. What is also clear is that these mass-killings were meticulously planned, exploiting cross-cultural animosities dating back to colonial times. To my knowledge, there is no other work that explores in such depth the effects of violence on African society.

I understood this was a masterpiece when I read the passage in which a young woman explains why the Hutus made the machete a symbol of the genocide. The Machete, she says, is the basic farming tool of all peasant Rwandan families. It's an instantly recognizable object that is used in all kinds of daily chores in the fields and around the house. Most of the genocidal killers were Hutu farmers who were not professional soldiers. It was far easier and more cost-effective to coerce them into using a familiar machete than to waste weeks in supplying them with guns and training. The genocide had to be carried out swiftly, before the Tutsis had time to escape. The machete therefore became the ubiquitous symbol of this macabre chapter of history.

If you want to understand what happened in Rwanda during 1994, then these two books are what you are looking for.
1930169
This was an excellent book!  The atrocities committed against the Rwandans by fellow Rwandans are hard to read but important to know. I taught Nursing school and at the time we had 3 Rwandan students in the class.  They were unable to share what they had been through.  Now I know why.
4450735
Unbelievable. The editor has done a wonderful job of giving insight into Amerikkka's treatment of Afrikans during the Nadir(1877 to 1901) and up into the 1960s. Fully detailed, the editor brings these "Lost Souls" back to life with stunning descriptions of their "crimes" and their tragic deaths. If one wants to gain further insight into the lynch party and their ritualistic purpose, read Orlando Patterson's Rituals of Blood: Consequences of Slavery in Two American Centuries, Book 2, The Feast of Blood. Thank You.
4084742
I highly recommend this book. It's meticulously researched and thoroughly reported, and it sheds a fascinating light on an often overlooked series of chapters in the history of the past 100 or so years of warfare. In focusing on these "forgotten regiments," Renfrew has made an important contribution to our understanding of the nuts-and-bolts ways colonialism operated _ for good and for ill _ at a time when the British empire held sway over much of the non-white world. Both the general reader and the military history buff are sure to find much here that is new and interesting.