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A review by izcanbeguscott
Silver, Sword, and Stone: Three Crucibles in the Latin American Story by Marie Arana
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Silver, Sword and Stone is what I would call an "almanac" work of history - it is a way of learning a lot about an absolutely massive topic, but its value will always remain as a mostly referential work or an introduction.
Marie Arana essentially tries to sum up the history of Latin America through the titular Silver, Sword and Stone: Silver for the exploitation of resources, Sword for the violence endemic to the region, and Stone for religions significant sway in the lives of the people who live there. The connecting factor can be seen as a little superficial, as every region on Earth deals with these same issues in one way or another, but they are essentially a jumping off pad for the anecdotes and exploration of the history of the continent.
What makes it special and less encyclopedic than expected is the way it uses these through-lines of history to make you empathize with the normal people who have to deal with the aftershocks of events way beyond their control. It really takes to heart the idea that for many people, one loss is a tragedy and a million is a statistic; so by bringing the narrative to that granular level, it makes you connect more with the people as equals.
I am yet to read Arana's biography on Bolivar, but I am excited as it seems to play to here strengths as a writer a little better. Still recommend this book as a way to find more interesting works in Latin American history stemming from these topics.
Marie Arana essentially tries to sum up the history of Latin America through the titular Silver, Sword and Stone: Silver for the exploitation of resources, Sword for the violence endemic to the region, and Stone for religions significant sway in the lives of the people who live there. The connecting factor can be seen as a little superficial, as every region on Earth deals with these same issues in one way or another, but they are essentially a jumping off pad for the anecdotes and exploration of the history of the continent.
What makes it special and less encyclopedic than expected is the way it uses these through-lines of history to make you empathize with the normal people who have to deal with the aftershocks of events way beyond their control. It really takes to heart the idea that for many people, one loss is a tragedy and a million is a statistic; so by bringing the narrative to that granular level, it makes you connect more with the people as equals.
I am yet to read Arana's biography on Bolivar, but I am excited as it seems to play to here strengths as a writer a little better. Still recommend this book as a way to find more interesting works in Latin American history stemming from these topics.