This is a short journalistic attempt at constructing a comprehensive history of Nicaragua from its pre-Columbian origins to the final year of the Somoza dynasty. Though not completely without merit, it is flawed in a number of ways. First, it lacks footnotes, thereby making it impossible to trace sources and verify the validity of statements. The fact that Crawley’s sources apparently varied widely in both quality and reliability is reflected in the fluctuating strength of different sections. Thus, while his account and interpretation of pre-Columbian history tend to echo some now rather outdated and discredited theses, his coverage of the British role in Nicaragua is fresh and intriguing.
Another problem is the impressionistic character of the book. If there is any thesis at all, it is an implied one: that dictatorship is an inherent and endless cycle in Nicaragua. This approach leads the author to oversimplify certain topics. Augusto Cesar Sandino, the nationalist guerrilla leader of the 1920s, is portrayed as a romantic and slightly insane character who, had he lived to become the leader of his country, would surely have been as much a dictator as Somoza. Similarly, the intricate involvement of the United States in the Somoza dictatorship is underplayed. Finally, Crawley fails to take seriously the popular insurrection of the late 1970s which was to put an end to the cycle of traditional dictatorships scant months after his book was published.
Other problems include an occasional lack of specificity in dates and numerous inaccuracies, some rather substantial. For instance, early in his study, Crawley exactly reverses his facts in describing the economic differences underlying the development of the cities of León and Granada. Making matters worse, he elaborates on the error in some detail.
With the increasing significance of the Nicaraguan experience, a comprehensive and scholarly English language study of the history of that country would certainly be in order. Though it may be of some use to the non-academic reader looking for a quick introduction, Crawley’s book certainly does not fill this gap for the academic community.
