Bolívar: American Liberator

The cliché goes that history is written by the winners; in the case of Simón Bolívar, a remarkable military leader who liberated six South American countries from Spanish rule, this is not the case. Bolívar's legacy has been tarnished by many right up to the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. Arana (former editor in chief, Washington Post Book World; Lima Nights) presents a human story of a wealthy Creole who, inspired by Enlightenment ideas, sought to bring South Americans of all colors responsible and representative government. As Arana aptly points out, his vision of equality went much further than the ideals of George Washington. Today, Bolívar is viewed either as the archetype of the Latin American strongman or an impossibly faultless crusader of equality. In her work, Arana adeptly finds the statesman behind the images. Drawing on Bolívar's voluminous correspondence and political writings, she assembles a chronological narrative that does justice to both Bolívar's august achievements and his human imperfections. This well-rounded work reveals not just an accomplished military tactician but also an able statesman.