Product Review

Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History brings together the most important documents on the history of the relationship between the United States and Latin America from the nineteenth century to the present. In addition to the standard diplomatic sources, the book includes documents touching on the transnational concerns that are increasingly taught in the classroom, including economic relations, environmental matters, immigration, human rights, and culture. Among the less frequently cited works reproduced here are Domingo Sarmiento's nineteenth-century reflection on life in the United States, the Andrews Sisters' 1944 hit song, "Ru and Coca Cola," Jack Kerouac's beatnik observations on Mexico, the U.S. Senate's investigation of CIA assassination plots, and the World Court decision condemning the Reagan administration's Nicaragua policy. The collection illuminates key issues while representing a variety of interests and views as they have both persisted and shifte over time, including often-overlooked Latin American perspectives and U.S. public opinion.

A special feature of this book is the extensive introductions highlighting the historical context and significance of each of the 124 documents. A detailed index provides the thematic and national cross-referencing that both students and instructors will appreciate. Latin America and the United States: A Documentary History is an ideal text for undergraduate and graduate courses in Latin American history as well as in U.S.-Latin America relations. In addition, it serves as a unique reference tool for foreign policy professionals, international law specialists, journalists, and scholars in a variety of disciplines.