Hugo!: The Hugo Chavez Story from Mud Hut to Perpetual Revolution
by Bart Jones
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Biography & Autobiography. History. Politics. Nonfiction. HTML:Ruling elites in Venezuela, the United States and Europe, and even Hugo Chávez himself though for different reasons, have been eager to have the world view him as the heir to Fidel Castro. But the truth about this increasingly influential world leader is more complex, and more interesting.. The Chávez that emerges from Bart Jones' carefully researched and documented biography is neither a plaster saint nor a revolutionary show more tyrant. He has an undeniably autocratic streak, and yet has been freely and fairly re-elected to his nations presidency three times with astonishing margins of victory. He is a master politician and an inspired improviser, a Bolivarian nationalist and an unashamed socialist. His policies have brought him into conflict with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and major oil companies. They have also provided a model for new governments and social movements in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina. When in September 2006 he declared at the United Nations that 'the devil came here yesterday ... the President of the United States', it was clear that he was taking on challenging the most powerful nation on earth, in conscious imitation of the Liberator, Simon Bolivar.From the Trade Paperback edition.. show less
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chrisharpe "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.", as they say. The similarities between these totalitarian leaders are striking, even down to some mundane details.
The Nixon Administration and the Death of Allende's Chile: A Case of Assisted Suicide by Jonathan Haslam
Starom The Nixon Administration and the Death of Allende's Chile is the story of Salvador Allende - the Chilean socialist leader who rose to power democratically and was pulled from power as a result of a US/CIA backed military coup. Hugo!: The Hugo Chavez Story tells the life-story of Hugo Chavez - the Venezuelan socialist leader who also rose to power democratically and was also pulled from as the result of a US/CIA backed military coup.
These books both portray the events with startling clarity - unbiased, highly informative and gripping from start to end. Each books tells a very similar story, but each ends very differently. These books go hand in hand - one to show the almighty Imperialist powers of the US in the so-called 'War Against Communism' and the other to show that US interests are certainly not the only ones that matter - the democratic voice of the people can never be truly silenced.
Member Reviews
Socialism isn't the success story which it is made out to be. This is Bart Jones' undoing in 'Hugo.' He constructs elaborate hypothetical would-ifs to cast Hugo Chavez's policies in a golden light and cement his image as the posterchild for Socialism. This was quite an intriguing book but it lacked even a modicum of impartiality. Jones is relying on nostalgia to push forward his thesis that Chavez was a hero. Otherwise, he has nothing of substance besides a chronology.
Very readable, appears to be meticulously researched. Confirms me in my belief that Chavez is one of the best things to happen to Venezuela and the region.
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3 Works 80 Members
Common Knowledge
- People/Characters
- Hugo Chávez
- Important places
- Venezuela
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, Biography & Memoir, History, Politics and Government, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 987.06 — History & geography History of South America Venezuela
- LCC
- F2329.22 .C54 .J66 — Local History of the United States, Canada and Latin America Latin America. Spanish America South America Venezuela
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 76
- Popularity
- 417,275
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (3.86)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 6
- ASINs
- 2
