This book was first published in Germany in 1946 under the title Südamerika but apparently was not reviewed in the HAHR. But someone interested in Ernst Samhaber, an erudite journalist, should consult Dr. Fritz Hoffmann’s penetrating reviews (HAHR, XXXV, 549) of two other Samhaber books dealing with Latin America, published in 1954 and 1955. Dr. Hoffmann calls the Samhaber books “thought-provoking.”
This excellent translation is of an earlier Samhaber book, a history of Latin America in which each chapter sketches a regional topic, and all chapters are arranged chronologically. The book is divided into twelve sections: “El Descubrimiento,” “La Conquista,” “Construcción,” “Espejismo,” “Desenvolvimiento,” “Ataques desde el Exterior,” “Fronteras,” “Reformas,” “La Independencia,” “El Nuevo Estado,” “La Nueva Economía,” and “Nuevos Problemas.” For example, in section I (“Descubrimiento”) there are three chapters: “Golfo de Paria, 1498—arribaje”; “Panamá, 1513—el Istmo atravesado”; “Estrecho de Magallanes, 1520—circumnavegación.” The last section (“Nuevos Problemas”) has also three chapters: “Panamá, 1914—el despertar de la costa occidental”; “São Paulo, 1924—el núcleo vital brasileño; Arica, 1929—expansión económica norteamericana. “
Consequently the book goes from 1498 to 1929 and therefore lacks the earlier and later data quite important to Latin American history. This chronological spotlight description is interesting and useful for those who already know some Latin American history but it is of doubtful use for nonexperts. Some of Samhaber’s interpretations might be questioned by specialists but in general the author has an excellent knowledge of Latin America and its history. The style and organization are excellent. The lack of notes and bibliography is a valid subject for criticism and the translator’s (or editor’s) lack of an introduction or preface is even more deplorable.
It has to be said that this book should not go unnoticed (as happened to the German version). It can easily stand up to our best textbooks of Latin American history. If it were in English I might not hesitate to use it as an excellent addition or required reading source in my Latin American history class.
