A history of Latin America that tells its turbulent story from Columbus to Chavez. Beginning with the Spanish and Portugese conquests of the New World, it takes in centuries of upheaval, revolution and modernization up to the present day, looking at Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Cuba, and gives an overview of the cultural developments.

The Penguin History of Latin AmericaPrefacePart One: The Age of Empire1. Discovery and Conquest2. Indians and Iberians3. Spain in America4. The Spanish Indies5. Colonial BrazilPart Two: The Challenge of the Modern World6. Reform, Crisis and Independence7. The Quest for Order: Conservatives and Liberals in the Nineteenth Century8. 'Civilization and Barbarism': Literary and Cultural Developments IPart Three: The Twentieth Century9. Nationalism and Development: An Overview10. Mexico: Revolution and Stability11. Brazil: Order and Progress12. Cuba: Dependency, Nationalism and Revolution13. Argentina: The Long Decline14. Chile: Democracy, Revolution and Dictatorship15. Identity and Modernity: Literary and Cultural Developments IIPart Four: Towards a New Era16. Globalization and Reform: An OverviewStatistical AppendixFurther ReadingMapsGlossary of Key TermsIndex of SubjectsIndex of Names