The Legacy Project: Central America: Annotated Bibliography

The following is an incomplete, ever-growing list of interesting, insightful books dealing with the civil wars, state terror, and generalized violence that plagued Central America in the 1970s and '80s.

Massacre at El Mozote by Mark Danner: A moving, detailed account of the annihilation of a small Salvadoran village. It does feel strained, at times, as the very effective original news article was stretched to fill a 200-page book. But, some of those additions are quite helpful; in particular, Danner does a good job of examining the political maneuvering taking place in the US at the time and media struggle surrounding the coverage of the events. A must-read for anyone traveling to El Salvador.

Country Under My Skin by Gioconda Bell: This account of the Nicaraguan revolution, from an acclaimed poet and prominent Sandinista, has been lauded by critics in both the English- and Spanish-speaking worlds. And, I recognize that this is a rare perspective - the female insider offering insight into a military struggle. That said, I didn't see the brilliance here. I found Belli's description of the Sandinista cause to be superficial, her summation of critical events to dance around the periphery, and the constant romances with revolutionary figures to be tedious. It comes down to what you're looking for, I suppose. This cannot be considered a definitive account of the Sandinista struggle, but as one voice among many on the subject, it has its uses.

Harvest of Violence: The Maya Indians and the Guatemalan Crisis by Robert Carmack: Though dated, this is an excellent introduction to the violence directed at Guatemala's Mayans during the country's civil war, from experts on the region. The case studies offer a great measure of insight into specific villages, which have broader relevance.

Our Own Backyard: The United States in Central America by William LeoGrande: The title is a bit misleading. LeoGrande focuses almost exclusively on Nicaragua and El Salvador in this extensive work, and specifically on the Sandinista/Contra conflict and FMLN's guerrilla war. And even within that context, he devotes the bulk of his time to the politicking taking place in Washington, with exhaustive descriptions of the conflicts between the Reagan administration and Congress. For those hoping to learn more about the US role in Nicaragua and El Salvador, this work should be quite satisfying; for those hoping to learn more about the actual conflicts in those Central American countries, LeoGrande's book may fall a little short.

Art of Political Murder by Francisco Goldman: This account of Guatemala's Bishop Gerardi's murder in 1998 is more than a little reminiscent of Alexander Stille's account of Italy's anti-mafia judges in Excellent Cadavers. In both cases, brave individuals choose to take on those responsible for the destabilization and destruction of their countries, and subsequently pay the ultimate price. Goldman's account reads a little like a thriller, building suspense before pulling back the curtain and exploring the stunning extent of the political and legal corruption in Guatemala. Sadly, this remains quite relevant in Guatemala today.

I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala by Rigoberta Menchu:

	Central America: AnnoBib
Home	The following is an incomplete, ever-growing list of interesting, insightful books dealing with the civil wars, state terror, and generalized violence that plagued Central America in the 1970s and '80s. Massacre at El Mozote by Mark Danner: A moving, detailed account of the annihilation of a small Salvadoran village. It does feel strained, at times, as the very effective original news article was stretched to fill a 200-page book. But, some of those additions are quite helpful; in particular, Danner does a good job of examining the political maneuvering taking place in the US at the time and media struggle surrounding the coverage of the events. A must-read for anyone traveling to El Salvador. Country Under My Skin by Gioconda Bell: This account of the Nicaraguan revolution, from an acclaimed poet and prominent Sandinista, has been lauded by critics in both the English- and Spanish-speaking worlds. And, I recognize that this is a rare perspective - the female insider offering insight into a military struggle. That said, I didn't see the brilliance here. I found Belli's description of the Sandinista cause to be superficial, her summation of critical events to dance around the periphery, and the constant romances with revolutionary figures to be tedious. It comes down to what you're looking for, I suppose. This cannot be considered a definitive account of the Sandinista struggle, but as one voice among many on the subject, it has its uses. Harvest of Violence: The Maya Indians and the Guatemalan Crisis by Robert Carmack: Though dated, this is an excellent introduction to the violence directed at Guatemala's Mayans during the country's civil war, from experts on the region. The case studies offer a great measure of insight into specific villages, which have broader relevance. Our Own Backyard: The United States in Central America by William LeoGrande: The title is a bit misleading. LeoGrande focuses almost exclusively on Nicaragua and El Salvador in this extensive work, and specifically on the Sandinista/Contra conflict and FMLN's guerrilla war. And even within that context, he devotes the bulk of his time to the politicking taking place in Washington, with exhaustive descriptions of the conflicts between the Reagan administration and Congress. For those hoping to learn more about the US role in Nicaragua and El Salvador, this work should be quite satisfying; for those hoping to learn more about the actual conflicts in those Central American countries, LeoGrande's book may fall a little short. Art of Political Murder by Francisco Goldman: This account of Guatemala's Bishop Gerardi's murder in 1998 is more than a little reminiscent of Alexander Stille's account of Italy's anti-mafia judges in Excellent Cadavers. In both cases, brave individuals choose to take on those responsible for the destabilization and destruction of their countries, and subsequently pay the ultimate price. Goldman's account reads a little like a thriller, building suspense before pulling back the curtain and exploring the stunning extent of the political and legal corruption in Guatemala. Sadly, this remains quite relevant in Guatemala today. I, Rigoberta Menchu: An Indian Woman in Guatemala by Rigoberta Menchu:
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Central America: AnnoBib