Synopses & Reviews
Nicaragua: Living in the Shadow of the Eagle details the countryand#8217;s unique history, culture, economics, politics, and foreign relations. Its historical coverage considers Nicaragua from pre-Columbian and colonial times as well as during the nationalist liberal era, the U.S. Marine occupation, the Somoza dictatorship, the Sandinista regime, and the conservative restoration after 1990.
The thoroughly revised fifth edition features new material covering the return of Daniel Ortega as president after the election of 2006. Thomas W. Walker and new coauthor Christine J. Wade document how the more enduring reality of the country may not be the Sandinista Revolution, but how the historical and ongoing interventions by the United Statesandmdash;the and#147;eagleand#8221; to the northandmdash;continue to shape Nicaraguan political, economic, and cultural life. Additionally, the new edition includes an extensively revised and updated annotated bibliography.
Review
and#147;Few countries have been gripped so tightly, and for so long, by the talons of the eagle as Nicaragua. With meticulous scholarship and scrupulous care, this extensive updating of Thomas Walkerand#8217;s standard work provides rich insight into Nicaraguaand#8217;s courageous_struggles for freedom and their fate, and into the motives and character of the eagle. It is a revealing case study that teaches lessons of great value for understanding the world.and#8221;
and#151;Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and#147;More than thirty years have passed since the FSLN came to power in a popular revolution, but the story of that special era and its meaning for contemporary Nicaragua and Latin America more generally is very much worth revisiting. Walker and the new coauthor, Christine Wade, do an excellent job of connecting the past with the present.and#8221;
and#151;Gary Prevost, St. Johnand#8217;s University/College of St. Benedict
and#147;A succinct, thoughtful, multifaceted overview of Nicaragua by two excellent scholars of Central America. Rich in detail and insight, the fifth edition of Nicaragua: Living in the Shadow of the Eagle continues to serve as the best introduction to Nicaragua and Nicaraguan politics. It is ideally suited for undergraduate courses and beginning graduate courses, and for the general reader.and#8221;
and#151;Harry E. Vanden, University of South Florida
Praise for Previous Editions:
and#160;
and#147;This is a brilliantly written and thoroughly researched book.and#8221;
and#151;Wayne Smith, Johns Hopkins University
and#160;
and#147;One of the most respected students of Nicaraguan politics, Tom Walker has masterfully revised his classic book to show the contradictions and tragedies of the post-Sandinista era.and#8221;
and#151;John Peeler, Bucknell University
and#160;
and#147;Walkerand#8217;s new edition of the book brilliantly blends his extraordinary first-hand knowledge of the country with findings presented in the ample scholarship of the past twenty years. The book makes an important Latin American case study available to undergraduate students without sacrificing subtlety of analysis or comprehensiveness of coverage. The way in which the book highlights US-Nicaraguan relations as part of the overall story makes it especially valuable for a wide range of courses.and#8221;
and#151;Michael Dodson, Texas Christian University
and#160;
and#147;Without question there is no better introduction to modern Nicaraguan history, politics, and society. In a succinct and even-handed manner, Walker masterfully analyzes the coming and process of the Sandinista revolution, then accounts for its demise in an age of neoliberalism.and#8221;
and#151;Gil Joseph, Yale University
Synopsis
This newly revised volume details Nicaragua’s unique history, culture, economics, politics, and foreign relations. Its historical coverage considers the country’s early and recent history, from pre-Columbian and colonial times through the nationalist liberal era, the U.S. marine occupation, the Somoza dictatorship, the Sandinista regime, the conservative restoration, and the Sandinista comeback. The fifth edition includes a new chapter detailing the reelection of Daniel Ortega and the irony of his current role in undercutting the rule of law and democracy that he helped institute in his earlier administration. This edition also documents what may be the more enduring reality of this Central American country: the historical and ongoing interventions by which the United States—the “eagle” to the north—continues to shape Nicaraguan political, economic, and cultural life.
Synopsis
and#160;Succinct and updated history of Nicaraguaandrsquo;s politics and foreign relations, with emphasis on the U.S. influence in shaping Nicaraguan life since the Somoza era and the Sandinista Revolution
About the Author
Praise for Previous Editions: “This is a brilliantly written and thoroughly researched book.” —Wayne Smith, Johns Hopkins University “One of the most respected students of Nicaraguan politics, Tom Walker has masterfully revised his classic book to show the contradictions and tragedies of the post-Sandinista era.” —John Peeler, Bucknell University “Walker’s new edition of the book brilliantly blends his extraordinary first-hand knowledge of the country with findings presented in the ample scholarship of the past twenty years. The book makes an important Latin American case study available to undergraduate students without sacrificing subtlety of analysis or comprehensiveness of coverage. The way in which the book highlights US-Nicaraguan relations as part of the overall story makes it especially valuable for a wide range of courses.” —Michael Dodson, Texas Christian University “Without question there is no better introduction to modern Nicaraguan history, politics, and society. In a succinct and even-handed manner, Walker masterfully analyzes the coming and process of the Sandinista revolution, then accounts for its demise in an age of neoliberalism.” —Gil Joseph, Yale University
Table of Contents
Preface Acknowledgments
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Map of Nicaragua
1 Introduction
2 Early History
The Pre-Columbian Period to the Mid-1930s
3 Recent History, Part 1
The Somoza Era and the Sandinista Revolution
4 Recent History, Part 2
The Conservative Restoration and the Return of Daniel Ortega
5 The Economic Dimension
6 Culture and Society
7 Government and Politics
8 The International Dimension
Annotated Sources in English
Index