Sim?n Bol?var: Essays on the Life and Legacy of the Liberator [Hardcover]

Sim?n Bol?var was without a doubt the most famous and most controversial leader of the Spanish American wars of independence. Much is known of his biography: he led an army that liberated an expanse of South America equivalent to that conquered by Napoleon; crafted the union of Venezuela, New Granada, and Ecuador into the republic of Gran Colombia; outlined the plan for a defensive league of former Spanish-American colonies; and wrote the first Bolivian constitution. He also died in exile after the rejection of his arbitrary and dictatorial rule in Colombia. This volume takes a step back from both glorification and vilification to reassess Bol?var's life and legacy. A distinguished group of historians takes a fresh look at the impact of the Liberator as warrior, political thinker and leader, internationalist, continentalist, reformer, and revolutionary. They make a powerful statement about the importance of biography and the relevance of the individual in explaining historical events. A balanced yet critical appraisal of Bol?var's role in the Spanish-American wars of independence, this in-depth collection offers a persuasive explanation of why the Bol?varian legend and cult has persisted. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand Sim?n Bol?varthe man and the legacy.

Contributions by: David Bushnell, Germ?n Carrera Damas, Simon Collier, Judith Ewell, Iv?n Jaksic, Lester D. Langley, John V. Lombardi, Karen Racine, Frank Safford, and Hermes Tovar Pinz?n

This book makes a strong addition to the English-language literature on Sim?n Bol?var. . . . Reading Bol?var's position on these key issues affords us an important perspective on the genesis of the Spanish American republics. Anthony McFarlane,Hispanic American Historical Review

As the bicentennial of the Wars of Independence approaclC¼