--- product_id: 7071667 title: "The Penguin History of Latin America" price: "211.87 DT" currency: TND in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/7071667-the-penguin-history-of-latin-america store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # The Penguin History of Latin America **Price:** 211.87 DT **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Penguin History of Latin America - **How much does it cost?** 211.87 DT with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/7071667-the-penguin-history-of-latin-america) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Now fully updated to 2009, this acclaimed history of Latin America tells its turbulent story from Columbus to Chavez. Beginning with the Spanish and Portugese conquests of the New World, it takes in centuries of upheaval, revolution and modernization up to the present day, looking in detail at Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Cuba, and gives an overview of the cultural developments that have made Latin America a source of fascination for the world. '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 Review: A Fascinating and Far Reaching History - Given the diversity of its people, its connection to European and U.S. history, the geographic scope and the time horizons involved, writing a history of Latin America is a daunting task. It is our good fortune that University of Oxford historian, Edwin Williamson, managed to succeed so admirably in surmounting the various difficulties involved. Moreover, his audience is the general reader: “the primary aim of this book is to provide a general survey to the non-specialized reader.” The result is a lucid account, vast in scope, but no breezy beach read. Despite its long history, Latin America as a whole has yet to find a reliable road to political stability and economic prosperity, at least an economic prosperity more evenly distributed. After 1945, according to Professor Williamson, “it proved impossible to find a new consensus for constitutional democracy; the stresses of rapid industrialization were too great.” Virtually all advanced Latin American countries experienced “periods of internal war and military despotism.” One popular avenue to modern industrialization became known as export substitution. One resulting problem was the problem of not sacrificing social welfare in the attempt to increase exports. Latin American governments found themselves between “the high spending required to improve living standards” and the various anti-inflationary programs pursued in an attempt to stop price increases. As political solutions failed to find traction, military intervention followed The military sought to pursue technocratic solutions in an attempt to bypass entirely the often volatile world of politics. A partial listing of military interventions include Brazil (1964), Argentina (1966), Peru (1968), Uruguay (1973) and Chile (1973). How do these modern episodes relate to the vast history Williamson surveys? These interventions, Williamson notes, illustrate the weakness of Latin American states, and that weakness was long antecedent to attempts to modernize. Weak states “derived from the peculiar deficiencies of the state in the new world.” However powerful the Crown might have appeared, it was, in fact, “circumscribed by the oligarchic interests of landowners and merchants” in Latin America. Despite their weakness, modern era governments tried “to cushion their changing societies against the shocks of rapid industrialization…” This required state spending and that, in turn, “led to borrowing from foreign banks.” Attempts at fiscal discipline, ran counter to leftists, many of whom were enamored with the Cuban Revolution. Leftist proclivities complicated, but did not dictate the result. In the in the 1980s “almost all countries defaulted on their foreign debts, bringing economic growth to a virtual standstill.” Edwin Williamson’s narrative concluded with a chapter on Globalization and Reform. The saga on both subjects appears poised to continue well into the twenty-first century. Review: ... - the story he weaves is captivating and a joy to follow - Williamson is a Genius - the story he weaves is captivating and a joy to follow. I especially liked the sections on the growth of the societies involved and how that contributed to the rise of Intellectual pursuits and the Arts. I love this book so much I've given it to friends and followed its reading with Williamson's biography of Borges! The Penguin History is without question the perfect introduction to Latin America's rich and inspiring history! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #270,002 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #64 in Central America History #105 in Mexico History #111 in South American History (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 289 Reviews | ## Images ![The Penguin History of Latin America - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91COwiUYDxL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Fascinating and Far Reaching History *by G***N on July 10, 2024* Given the diversity of its people, its connection to European and U.S. history, the geographic scope and the time horizons involved, writing a history of Latin America is a daunting task. It is our good fortune that University of Oxford historian, Edwin Williamson, managed to succeed so admirably in surmounting the various difficulties involved. Moreover, his audience is the general reader: “the primary aim of this book is to provide a general survey to the non-specialized reader.” The result is a lucid account, vast in scope, but no breezy beach read. Despite its long history, Latin America as a whole has yet to find a reliable road to political stability and economic prosperity, at least an economic prosperity more evenly distributed. After 1945, according to Professor Williamson, “it proved impossible to find a new consensus for constitutional democracy; the stresses of rapid industrialization were too great.” Virtually all advanced Latin American countries experienced “periods of internal war and military despotism.” One popular avenue to modern industrialization became known as export substitution. One resulting problem was the problem of not sacrificing social welfare in the attempt to increase exports. Latin American governments found themselves between “the high spending required to improve living standards” and the various anti-inflationary programs pursued in an attempt to stop price increases. As political solutions failed to find traction, military intervention followed The military sought to pursue technocratic solutions in an attempt to bypass entirely the often volatile world of politics. A partial listing of military interventions include Brazil (1964), Argentina (1966), Peru (1968), Uruguay (1973) and Chile (1973). How do these modern episodes relate to the vast history Williamson surveys? These interventions, Williamson notes, illustrate the weakness of Latin American states, and that weakness was long antecedent to attempts to modernize. Weak states “derived from the peculiar deficiencies of the state in the new world.” However powerful the Crown might have appeared, it was, in fact, “circumscribed by the oligarchic interests of landowners and merchants” in Latin America. Despite their weakness, modern era governments tried “to cushion their changing societies against the shocks of rapid industrialization…” This required state spending and that, in turn, “led to borrowing from foreign banks.” Attempts at fiscal discipline, ran counter to leftists, many of whom were enamored with the Cuban Revolution. Leftist proclivities complicated, but did not dictate the result. In the in the 1980s “almost all countries defaulted on their foreign debts, bringing economic growth to a virtual standstill.” Edwin Williamson’s narrative concluded with a chapter on Globalization and Reform. The saga on both subjects appears poised to continue well into the twenty-first century. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ... - the story he weaves is captivating and a joy to follow *by P***R on April 21, 2017* Williamson is a Genius - the story he weaves is captivating and a joy to follow. I especially liked the sections on the growth of the societies involved and how that contributed to the rise of Intellectual pursuits and the Arts. I love this book so much I've given it to friends and followed its reading with Williamson's biography of Borges! The Penguin History is without question the perfect introduction to Latin America's rich and inspiring history! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Finally a Legtimate Latin America *by R***Y on October 15, 2012* Edwin Williamson's Penguin History of Latin America is the best in field yet from the major publishers. Eschewing the campy marxist and the de rigeur post-constructionist "theories of exploitation," Williamson cuts to the chase with old fasioned British "political economics." He makes economically deterministic arguments for colonial administration, for protracted independency wars, for caudillismo, for liberal democracy, for neo-caudillism, and, finally, for neo-liberalism cum populism, post-Cold War style. Slightly disturbing is the absence of at least a pen sketch history of the less important countries, rather than subordinating these countries to adjunctive roles vis-a-vis the big ones. Highly refreshing is Williamson's non-use of tired exploitation and dependency theories, victimization rants, and villainization of "the military" in vaguely stated polemics. This is sophisticated history. It needs a few simple maps ao that it can be used as the introductory text for the "history of Latin America" courses. Williamson says that Latin America has a valid history of its own. Russell W. Ramsey, Ph.D., D. Min. Graduate Professor, History & Diplomacy Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/7071667-the-penguin-history-of-latin-america](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/7071667-the-penguin-history-of-latin-america) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-08-14*