Synopses & Reviews
Chileans are often called the "English of South America." This book narrates the tremendous influence that British visitors and immigrants have had on the history of Chile, starting in 1554 with "Bloody Mary" becoming Queen of Chile. This is an informed, comprehensive, and balanced account that includes original research, and will appeal to students of Latin American history, the general reader, and travelers to Chile. Edmundson tells several stories, including Charles Darwins seventeen months in Chile, the British stamp on the history of Patagonia, the story of the "Nitrate King," and British participation in the War of Independence.
Review
“[Edmundson] has written such an excellent book which ought to appeal to anyone with an interest in Chile. Well-researched and concise, it is an appetite-warming guide for further reading and should be recommended to newcomers planning to spend much time in the country.”--Chilean News (the Bulletin of the Anglo-Chilean Society in London), Year 66, No. 376, 10-11, April 2010
“I congratulate William Edmundson on bringing this important, but largely forgotten, part of Chilean history to the general public.”--Victor C. Hawkins, Chairman, British Commonwealth Society, Chile
“As the modern-day visitor can readily confirm, Chilean attitudes toward Britain are warm and admiring. William Edmundson's book is a well-documented account of how those ties were formed, starting even before the war of independence was won. He has researched extensively the motives--industrial, commercial, and scientific, among others--that brought adventurous and enterprising Britons to Chile, many adopting the country as their new homeland. This is an intriguing, informative book, relevant to the times, and worthy of inclusion in any Foreign Studies curriculum.”--Duncan Campbell, Site Administrator, The British Presence in Southern Patagonia
"This book provides a lot of useful reference material for anyone with Chilean ancestors or whose ancestors pursued careers there." --Jessie Denholm, The Scottish Genealogist
For an interview with the author in Chile's Santiago Times:http://www.santiagotimes.cl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17648:britains-special-connection-with-chile-a-mysterious-sympathy&catid=32:features&Itemid=144
Synopsis
Physical Infrastructure Development addresses the key challenges of balancing economic growth, poverty alleviation, and environmental protection in the development of major physical infrastructure, ranging from transport to energy. The contributions, reflecting the perspectives of economics, engineering, planning, political science, and urban design, examine the impact of alternative financing and pricing arrangements on the sharing of burdens and benefits, and the opportunities and risks of public-private partnerships. They also assess the emerging approaches for restoring ecosystems degraded by past infrastructure development, and the strategies for promoting farsighted infrastructure planning and protecting vulnerable people impacted by physical infrastructure expansion.
Synopsis
This book sets out to narrate the contributions to and influence on the history of Chile that British visitors and immigrants have had, not as bystanders but as key players, starting in 1554 with the English Queen 'Bloody Mary' becoming Queen of Chile, and ending with the decline of British influence following the Second World War.
About the Author
William (Eddie) Edmundson works as a consultant and writer in Recife, Brazil, following a career in teacher training and management with the British Council that has taken him to Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, and his most recent appointment as British Council Director in Cuba. Fluent in Spanish (and Portuguese), he started research into the history of the British presence in Chile while Director of the Chilean-British Institute in Concepción, in 1984-1990. This led to several talks and articles on the subject, in English and Spanish, both in Chile and in Britain. His publications include “Ayrshire to Arauco: The Voyage of the Colinda,” Geogscot, The Royal Scottish Geographical Society (1993); “Calle Exeter and Rua Charles Darwin: British Studies on Your Doorstep,” British Studies Now, the British Council (1994); “La batalla de Coronel,” Revista de la Sociedad de Historia de Concepción (1990); and “Los británicos en la zona carbonífera,” Revista de la Sociedad de Historia de Concepción (1988). Edmundson has also published widely on English language teaching, and on the survival of steam locomotives in Latin America.
Table of Contents
Introduction: A Mysterious Sympathy * Pirates, Buccaneers, Privateers, Corsairs, & Circumnavigators * Explorers by Sea * British Naturalists in Chile * Chiles Wars * Visitors and Explorers on Land * British Artists in Chile * British Communities in Chile * Commerce and Industry * Mining * Banking * Railways * Education * Religion * Sports * The Battle of Coronel * The Decline of British Influence * The Imprint That Remains: Family Names & Geography