I'm not disputing the majority of the facts in the book, it's more of how they're portrayed by the author. Unfortunately, it is ruined throughout with a significant bias. It's a history that is rarely discussed, so the book has great potential. This book provides an interesting insight to the history of Latin America, from the 17th century onwards. The US and Europe are simultaneously berated for asset stripping and neglecting the region, and for heavily investing in and supporting the region. The free market is clearly a bad thing, except when undertaken by left-wing governments when suddenly it is a good thing. Violence and oppression directed against innocent people is conspicuously ignored or glorified as necessary if perpetrated by socialists, yet openly criticised and described in graphic detail when enacted by non-socialists. Liberal or right-wing governments are automatically branded brutal, capitalist, murderous left-wing governments are depicted as heroic, brave, compassionate (even when suppressing the population).
It should also be said that the book is let down by the strong bias of the author, who mentions adoringly his meetings with people like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara.
There is apparently more beneath the surface of the story than the author has revealed. It's very ashamedly not a pleasant read in terms of the brutality inflicted on the region - although the victimhood aspect, and placing blame entirely on external factors is arguably taken a bit too far. An interesting book on the history of Latin America from the arrival of Europeans to the 1970s, organised sort-of thematically.
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