Central America Books

Barbara Weinstein's study of the Sao Paulo, Brazil working class covers much more than labor relations in that city. As US and European social scientists and labor historians seek to broaden their understanding of labor/management relations in other parts of the world, they will find this an invaluable source. Extremely well-documented, with evidence from oral histories, interviews, newspapers, government documents and secondary sources, Weinstein tells the story of a ruling elite that tried to tame its workers in novel ways. In everything from cooking classes for women to soccer and volleyball games for male and female workers, the Sao Paulo manufacturers tried to lure their workers away from the anarchist meeting hall, or even the local bar, and into increasing productivity (and profits) for the company. They succeeded in some ways, but mainly failed. Sao Paulo's workers are some of the most militant in the world today. This is a fascinating story that should be! told in every labor, urban or social history class.

There is no one named Frances Ferguson in any way associated with For Those Who Come After. The paperback edition has a forward by Paul John Eakin. Please correct your entry.

This book presents an excellent analysis of recent Central American history, and in particular of the role of the U.S. in helping sustain -- or undermine -- democratically-elected governments. The case made about Costa Rica merits special praise, as Zarate convincingly argues that the deliberate lack of American intervention at a critical political moment -- the success of leftist candidates in national elections -- helped guarantee the survival of democracy in that nation.

Although Zarate presents a generally optimistic view of US hegemony (both historical and potential) in the region, he does point to the CIA as a crucial and malefic agent that purposefully undermined Guatemala's democracy in the 1950s and subsequently supported a series of military regimes. This honesty is rare among historians of Latin America, who are often blinded by their own ideology, left or right.

Zarate's text is cogently argued and lucidly presented, and I recommend it to anyone interested in US policy in Central America.

-- Adam Lifshey

Although admittedly pricey, this is an excellent source of recent information on Early Formative cultures of Mesoamerica and southern Central America. Contributors are: Michael Blake, Marilyn Beaudry, John Clark, Arthur Demarest, Bill Fowler, John Hoopes, Gloria Lara Pinto, Mike Love, Skip Messenger, Mary Pye, Ed Schortman, Pat Urban, David Whitley, and Tony Wonderley.

Four Trips to Antiquity: Adventures of an Artist in Maya Ruined Cities narrates an artist's search through Central America for the form which inheres in ancient Maya sculpture. Initially commisioned by the Limited Editions Club of New York to illustrate the Popol Vuh, an ancient Quiche Maya manuscript, renowned artist and illustrator Everett Gee Jackson traveled to Chichicastenango, in the Guatamalan highlands in 1952. He then went to Copan, Honduras, to draw the magnificent, partially restored ruins there. This experience turned into a quest for the spirit in which Jackson became increaseingly absorbed in the different, more meditative rhythms of an older civilization. Approaching the stone carvings with the eye of an artist, Jackson communicates what it means to "see" through to the inner structure of the highly accomplished ancient art which had come to fascinate him. The artist then returned to Copan in 1954, this time with San Diego State University anthropologist and Trustee of the Museum of Man, Dr. Spencer L. Rogers. With no comission to illustrate, Jackson now was able to focus exclusively on the object of his fascination, immmersing himself primarily in the enduring stone stelae in the Great North Court. Jackson's third trip took place in 1962. It brought him via Costa Rica to the ruins of Tikal in Guatemala, then once again to Copan. His final trip to Copan was in 1978, at which time he noticed considerable civic development and other changes which had come about over time. Told in humrous and incisive fashion, the tale of these four trips to antiquity challenges the reader to consider the subject of sculpture not as "art" but as a doorway to the heart.
--- from book's dustjacket

Tragic accident...Prof. Zelnik killed on campus,run-over. It was death of Savio at age 56..several years ago..that led him to co-edit this work-which has become definitive...

This is simply one of my favorite books, all around, even including works of fiction. It's well written, well researched, insightful and relevant for activists in the trenches. The well written and relevant parts are, sadly, often not true of academic work on social movements. As for the well researched part, Polletta did an astounding amount of archival research and interviews with activists to write this book. What emerges is a fascinating history of how twentieth-century US progressive social movements have tried to implement participatory democracy in their own organizations. It is a chronicle of failed experiments, gradually historical learning and increasing success.

By reading this book, we get to see what has worked and what has failed. I'm a little puzzled by the previous reviewer's comments--Polletta certainly incorporates Freeman's ideas (explicitly acknowledging Freeman as a source and discussing Freeman's own experience in the feminist movements), but she covers much more ground than Freeman. Polletta makes two main contributions in this book. First, she rebutts those who argue that participatory democracy is a nice ideal, but impractical--that top-down leadership is a more efficient form of organization. On the contrary, says Polletta, participatory democracy promotes 1) solidarity in groups, because everyone feels included in the decision-making process and thus more committed to any plan of action; 2) innovation, as more people take part in the back and forth as new ideas are developed; and 3) personal development, as active participation in decision-making lets more people develop new skills, including leadership skills.

The other major point Polletta makes is that it has been difficult for movement organizations to successfully implement participatory democracy because we have so few models of such interaction in mainstream society. Therefore, we often fall back on patterns of interaction we are familiar with--religious fellowship, friendship and the teacher-student relationship. In certain circumstances, these can work for a while, but historically they have always lead to trouble. We need to develop new models for relating to each other to make participatory democracy work. On the practical level, Polletta says that the contemporary community organizing and global justice movements have both developed good practices that seem to have solved many past historical problems--though in very different ways. (This is also not to say that they have solved all problems--new challenges certainly lie ahead.) On a more abstract level, Polletta points to the Latin-American ideal of the compañero/a, a relationship that is close, but based on the common bonds of political struggle, not modeled on friendship or kinship or some other familiar form.

All in all, this is an excellent, though-provoking, inspiring book.

Kevin, as always, is a master story teller. This book blends that mastery with a sound knowledge of the subject matter evidencing lots of research. Brings a few tears, but well worth reading.....

Political liberals in the West have for years used a distorted anaysis of freedom and justice in an attempt to expand the power of the state. This book examines those distortions and argues for a concept of limited government as the best means to defend both freedom and justice.

As I say, this is a job well done. The story of the discovery and excavation of La Belle is presented in a way that keeps you interested. I have visited 5 of the 7 locations where artifacts from La Belle are housed. The story of the expedition itself is a great read, and the discovery and excavation is even more so. Also there is the great photography. All around a very fine book.