Hugo Chavez: The Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela

Book Description

The only up-to-date book on the democratically elected president of Venezuela, and the US-assisted attempt—and failure—to depose him.

The only first-hand report on contemporary Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, by veteran correspondent Richard Gott, places the country's controversial and charismatic president in historical perspective, and examines his plans and programs. This new edition has a chapter on the attempted and failed military coup, Venezuela's recent recall election, and discusses US covert intervention against this democratically elected public official.

The spectre of Simon Bolívar hovers once again over Latin America as the aims and ambitions of the Liberator are taken up by Comandante Hugo Chávez. Welcomed by the inhabitants of the teeming shantytowns of Caracas as their potential savior, and greeted by Washington with considerable alarm, this former golpista-turned-democrat has already begun the most wide-ranging transformation of oil-rich Venezuela for half a century, and dramatically affected the political debate throughout Latin America.

Customer Reviews:

A useful but biased read. .......2007-07-12

Gott's it is definitely not an unbiased and balance account, but it is one that would help you get the other view (although a tainted one some times). The book's alleged factual information is not accurate and its narrations are simplistic many times. The book lacks research and depth. For example a key event like the Coup de etat of April 11, 2002, has a very simplistic linear argument with a lot of controversial interpretations of the events, just read "Venezuela's 2002 Coup Revisited: The Evidence Two Years On By Francisco Toro" (you can Google it on the web). The later does allow the reader to realize how complex were the events that date and how much is still not clear. The Book editorial work was also lax, for example Heinz Dieterich Steffan is introduced as an Argentinean journalist, when he is German sociologist professor at the UAM in Mexico. This sort of mistakes undermines the book's credibility. However, the authors close encounters with Chavez are interesting enough to make the book an amenable read.
Not withstanding, Gott does have insight on the region and is not as partisan as to be blind. Many of the criticisms he makes about the region are in many respects accurate and he has been following the region for many years. He has also shown he can do better research and more balance accounts of the events as he does in his Cuba: A New History; were at its end he writes a compelling portrait of the unjust and difficult conditions for Castro Cuba's opposition primordial organizations.

A remarkable account of an extraordinary leader.......2007-05-12

A very well written book that reviews the life and achievements of one of the most controversial leaders of our time. Hugo Chavez is a remarkable revolutionist who the world is paying. This book reveals why the world needs to pay attention to the extraordinary Venezuelan leader.

Not very thorough.......2007-04-14

If you are thinking of buying this book, there are a few things to be aware of.

(1) This book is biased. Mr Gott lavishes endless praise on Mr Chavez & it is clear where he stands in the fight for Venezuela's future. When it comes time to be critical of laws that endanger press freedom in Venezuela, Mr Gott does not criticize on the grounds that similar laws are in place in Western Europe. I understand everyone has their politics and that to some extent that will influence their writing, but Mr Gott goes overboard with his; the result is a book that may inaccurately depict Venezuela.
(2) This book is more about Chavez than about Venezuela. I was expecting a book that detailed recent Venezuelan history and while there is no doubt that Chavez has played a large role in it, this book was too Chavez-centric for me. Rarely did he focus on events that did not involve Chavez as the protagonist. I suspect that this contributed to the book lacking depth.
(3) This book does not have much depth. After reading Hugh Thomas' book on Cuba (Cuba: The Pursuit of Freedom), which is written by a scholar with the depth and the extensive footnotes one should expect, I was sorely disappointed by Gott's book. There are no footnotes, so you don't know the sources of his information, although there is a bibliography in it. Perhaps if you are using this book as a way to get your footing on recent Venezuelan history, it is worthwhile, but if you are looking to use this book as a starting point for in-depth research, you will be disappointed.
(4) This book leaves off in late-2004. I knew that when I bought it, so I wasn't surprised. But if you are looking to learn about modern-day Venezuela, be aware that much has changed in these last two years. You will need to fill that in for yourself... So, unless you have the research systems (e.g., Lexis Nexis, Academic Databases, etc.) or the time to read newspapers/article online, you'll walk away with an outdated perspective on a rapidly changing country. Heck, I bought this book two weeks ago and in the last few days, there have already been major changes in Venezuela.

My recommendation: Buy this book if you want a shallow treatment of recent Venezuelan history. If you'd prefer something a little more thorough, try looking elsewhere. Or even better, if you've got the brains and time, do the research yourself. You'll no doubt understand the country better and probably with more depth than if you simply read this book.

One of the few we have but be careful...........2007-04-14

This book provides one of the few looks that we have of Hugo Chavez. His dictatorship in Venezuela is one of the more unique in the world especially when analyzing his power base. A word of caution when reading this book however is that Gott is fiercely anti-American so a lot of the book is taken up with his rabid viewpoints. It is still one of the best portraits we have of Chavez and if you can look past the anti-American bias the book is very useful. If you want to learn about modern Venezuela you really can't go wrong with this book.

Not the best value for your money.......2007-04-09

The book is generally poorly written and biased. The book is informative and benefits from the writers own personal involvement in Venezuela for many years. But the text is poorly written, organized, and edited. As a result, it does not flow as well as it should. It's also simplistic in many places.

However, the biggest problem with the book is that it fails to give a critical view of Chavez. It's written by someone who can barely hide his excitement at the coming of a "revolution" in Venezuela to fix all those problems that everyone knows Venezuela has. He fails to explain, however, the risks that Chavez's policies are eroding individual liberties, judicial guarantees, democracy, freedom of expression, and economic development.

I also found the book's binding very odd. It's bound like a picture book with thick pages. I honestly don't know why book bindings are just not what they used to be. Oh well!

Defining Venezuela's "Bolivarian Revolution".(Latin America) : An article from: Military Review

Average customer rating:

Defining Venezuela's "Bolivarian Revolution".(Latin America) : An article from: Military Review
Harold A. Trinkunas
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Military Review, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2005. The length of the article is 4429 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Defining Venezuela's "Bolivarian Revolution".(Latin America)
Author: Harold A. Trinkunas
Publication: Military Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 85 Issue: 4 Page: 39(6)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Nevada's diverse landscape, which ranges from lofty alpine peaks to marshy wetlands, saline playas, sagebrush-covered steppes, and lush agricultural valleys, is home to a surprising number and variety of bird species. The Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Nevada documents the results of a statewide survey of breeding birds undertaken between 1997 and 2000. The book presents 275 species of birds that breed in the state, with a description of each bird; an analysis of its breeding distribution in Nevada; discussion of its conservation status; a line drawing by artist Ray Nelson; a map illustrating its distribution throughout the state; and summary statistics on its breeding status, habitat distribution and abundance.

Book Description

Nevada Birds, An Introduction to Familiar Species, is a must-have, reference guide for beginners and experts alike. Whether you're on a nature hike or in your own backyard, you'll want to take along a copy of this indispensable guide. The Pocket Naturalist(tm) series is an introduction to common plants and animals and natural phenomena. Each pocket-sized, folding guide highlights up to 150 species and most feature a map highlighting prominent sanctuaries and outstanding natural attractions. Each is laminated for durability.

Customer Reviews:

Little more than a pamplet.......2007-06-25

It is helpful in identifying birds in the region; however, calling it a "book" is not accurate.

Adventure Kayaking from the Russian River to Monterey: Includes Lake Tahoe, Mono Lake, & Pyramid Lake (Adventure Kayaking)

Average customer rating:

Well worth the price. Great info, enjoyable read.
Excellant information packaged with interesting anecdotes

Adventure Kayaking from the Russian River to Monterey: Includes Lake Tahoe, Mono Lake, & Pyramid Lake (Adventure Kayaking)
Michael Jeneid
Manufacturer: Wilderness Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0899972152

Book Description

Explore the coastal lagoons, bays, and esteros from the Russian River to Monterey Bay, plus inland Tahoe, Mono, and Pyramid Lakes with this book's 24 kayaking adventures.

Most are daytrips, but some can be done as overnights. Accurate maps show the water routes and distances you'll paddle, where to camp, and how to get to the put-in and take-out points. For kayaking newcomers there's information on kayak rentals and guided trips. Newly updated.

Customer Reviews:

Well worth the price. Great info, enjoyable read........1998-08-06

If you've never been to the sites listed in Adventure Kayaking, Jenner gives the info a kayaker wants to know to make an informed selection: Clear accurate directions to the put-in sites . Comments on winds, tides. Suggested paddle routes. Maps. Notes on the presence or absence of power-boats and picnickers. Where to camp. What a joy to read a guide book, go to a place and experience no major surprises!

Jeneid's writes beautifully of natural features and wildlife encountered. Clearly he has a love for birding. If you are a kayaker and a birder, then I highly recommend this book before you plan your next outing.

Excellant information packaged with interesting anecdotes.......1998-03-07

I checked this book out at the local library and thought it was so valuable that I bought my own copy. My only complaint is that I wish the book could of been bigger so more trips could be included. I had already done some of the trips in the book and I found the book to give not only a fair representation of the area, but I learned a few new things.

Birds of the Southwest: Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California & Southern Nevada (W.L. Moody, Jr., Natural History Series, No. 30)

Average customer rating:

Ouch!

Birds of the Southwest: Arizona, New Mexico, Southern California & Southern Nevada (W.L. Moody, Jr., Natural History Series, No. 30)
John H. Rappole
Manufacturer: Texas A&M University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0890969582

Customer Reviews:

Ouch!.......2004-01-29

This is one book that can be judged by its cover: why on earth is there a Dickcissel of all things on the front of a book about the American Southwest? This sort of sloppiness recurs throughout, and is particularly irksome (and for new birders downright dangerous) in the many, many misidentified photos that illustrate the text. The bird-finding section is useless, and the author's coy suggestion that any errors in the directions given should be treated as "part of the adventure" is simply unacceptable. Keep this book out of the hands of beginners!

Average customer rating:

Sierra Birds
A lively, refreshing guide to Birds
Very easy to use
a brilliant little book!

Sierra Birds: A Hiker's Guide
John Muir Laws
Manufacturer: Heyday Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1890771783

Book Description

Novice birders often distinguish birds by color and size. Sierra Birds: A Hiker's Guide is a unique book that assumes no prior birding knowledge on the part of the reader and is organized for quick and easy reference. Color-coded keys eliminate the time-consuming and frustrating necessity of having to thumb randomly through a hefty guide, hoping to stumble upon the right species…before it disappears! A cross-index of bird families is also included for more advanced birders. All this in a format that is simply organized, light-weight, and small enough to tuck inside a pocket.

Customer Reviews:

Sierra Birds.......2005-09-10

Everyone with a plan to hike the Sierras, or owns a home there should have one.

A lively, refreshing guide to Birds.......2005-08-17

I use this guide outside of the Sierra as well to confirm the bird species I have seen.

The images are wonderful! The birds have texture and life - they are anything but flat, 2D images!

The helpful clues for IDing birds are really effective, and the bird by color instead of genus or class makes it much easier for the novice or casual birdwatching hiker to have the thrill of Bird IDing & observation!

CHEERS! JM LAWS ! U have done a wonderful job. I can't wait till your next book comes out!

Very easy to use.......2005-03-01

Finally a good bird book for Sierra hikers! This book is very easy to use because the birds can easily be found simply by looking at the color of what you're seeing. It's excellent for kids and advanced birders alike. There isn't much information about the birds but if you just want to identify what you're seeing I don't think someone could make a better book. The size, weight and waterproof cover make it so that I'm actually happy to bring it along.

a brilliant little book!.......2004-10-04

I just recently looked at this book, and I'm thrilled that someone finally made such an easy to use guide! It's so much quicker to look up birds by color than by fumbling through the book, trying to figure out where to look. The illustrations are beautiful and clear, and it is thoughtfully lightweight- comfortable for backpacking. I am glad I have it, and I'd recommend it to birders both beginner and experienced!

Average customer rating:

Important Bird Areas of Nevada
D. E. McIvor
Manufacturer: Lahontan Audubon Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0970343825

Book Description

Nevada's Important Bird Areas Program is part of a worldwide effort to identify and recognize the best remaining habitats for birds. Birds are an excellent barometer of the health of our natural world. Through constructive and collaborative partnerships, the Lahontan Audubon Society, the National Audubon Society, and BirdLife International are working with state and local partners to preserve and enhance bird habitats while meeting the needs of the landowner. This book formalizes the selection of Nevada's Important Bird Areas and introduces these landscapes to birders, citizen-scientists, land managers, and land owners. The book contains detailed descriptions of each site, information about why sites were selected, and suggestions for ways to help protect their value for birds. For avid bird watchers the book also contains information to guide visitors to those areas that welcome birders. And for all who care about the future of Nevada's birds, this is an essential reference.

Birds of the Lahontan Valley: A Guide to Nevada's Wetland Oasis

Average customer rating:

Birds of the Lahontan Valley: A Guide to Nevada's Wetland Oasis
Graham Chisholm , and Larry A. Neel
Manufacturer: University of Nevada Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Wetlands | Ecosystems | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Birdwatching | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Nevada Birds

ASIN: 0874174791

Book Description

Deep in the arid vastness of the harsh Great Basin desert, in one of the warmest and driest basins in northern Nevada, lies a wetland oasis that is home to more than 290 species of resident and migratory birds. The Lahontan Valley wetlands, including Stillwater Marsh and Carson Lake, contain the remnants of a vast Pleistocene lake that once covered much of western and northern Nevada. Today, shrunken to fewer than 100,000 acres and precariously vulnerable to the vagaries of the Great Basin's scanty rainfall and to competing demands for water from neighboring agriculturists and northern Nevada's booming urban development, the Lahontan Valley wetlands persist as one of the most important birding sites on the Pacific Flyway. Birds of the Lahontan Valley is a major contribution to the study of natural history in the Great Basin. Authors Graham Chisholm and Larry A. Neel provide a comprehensive discussion of the geologic history of the area; the intricate relationships between climate, soil, vegetation, and local fauna; and the impact of humankind, from the ancient Paiute people to the farmers and ranchers of today. The book's greatest significance, however, lies in its detailed account of the bird species sighted in the Lahontan Valley, a listing that will be invaluable to scientists and casual birders alike. Enhanced by 56 line drawings by ornithological artist Mimi Hoppe Wolf, maps, color photographs of habitats and their related bird species, and directions to bird-viewing sites, Birds of the Lahontan Valley is an essential resource for birders, naturalists, conservationists, and anyone interested in the outdoors. The Lahontan Valley wetlands are one of the Great Basin's most precious and least-known natural wonders. Birds of the Lahontan Valley reveals the rich complexity of this fragile ecological treasure and will help readers appreciate its value for present and future generations.

Average customer rating:

Folding Paper Cranes
Incredible... haunting.
Finding Hope

Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir
Leonard Bird
Manufacturer: University of Utah Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Reference & Collections | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Assault on Reason

ASIN: 0874808243

Customer Reviews:

Folding Paper Cranes.......2007-01-05

This is a very poetically written book about the author's experiences with United States atomic bomb testing and his coming to peace with the dropping of the bomb on Japan.

Incredible... haunting........2005-05-16

This incredible book feels like an intimate recollection between you and the author. The descriptive prose will shake you to your foundation as Mr. Bird describes with amazing clarity his encounters with nuclear horror. Although small in stature (its only 150 pages) it walks tall and you will emerge from the experience changed.

I have had the pleasure of traveling and spending time with Red and amazingly I knew nothing of this book. When it was given to me a sat and read it instantly. The tears flowed down my cheeks as I read it cover to cover.

I hope it will inspire you to think about our nuclear legacy, act to eliminate nuclear warheads from planet earth, and fold some paper cranes for good luck.

Finding Hope.......2005-04-13

This memoir chronicles the author's experience as a test subject for one of the hundreds of US Government nuclear bomb trials which took place in the desert of Nevada, and the aftermath of its effects on the author both physically and psychologically. As a young soldier, Bird was ordered to crouch in a trench with his squad a mere 4,000 yards from the detonation of the largest nuclear bomb explosion in North America, wearing only a WWII gas mask for protection. The memoir is framed by the author's three trips to Hiroshima which ultimately aid in his attempt to come to terms with both the terror and hope he shares with the victims and survivors of nuclear war in Hiroshima. His account brings to life the horror of Hiroshima that is only understood abstractly by many Americans. Additionally, it is very informative about the hundreds of nuclear explosions the government sponsors in our own country for the purpose of experimentation and the devastating effects of radiation disease caused by radioactive fallout. Folding Paper Cranes: An Atomic Memoir, is frank, sensitive, and searingly honest. It is sprinkled with poetry and though poignant with despair, ultimately brings a message of peace and hope.

Hawks Don't Say Good-bye (The Adventures of Nathan T. Riggins, Book 6)

Average customer rating:

Hawks Don't Say Good-bye (The Adventures of Nathan T. Riggins, Book 6)
Stephen Bly
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0891077820

Animal life in the Yosemite;: An account of the mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in a cross-section of the Sierra Nevada, (Contribution from the ... zoology, University of California)

Average customer rating:

Animal life in the Yosemite;: An account of the mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians in a cross-section of the Sierra Nevada, (Contribution from the ... zoology, University of California)
Joseph Grinnell
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books