The Companion to Latin American History collects the work of leading experts in the field to create a single-source overview of the diverse history and current trends in the study of Latin America. Presents a state-of-the-art overview of the history of Latin America - Written by the top international experts in the field - 28 chapters come together as a superlative single source of information for scholars and students - Recognizes the breadth and diversity of Latin American history by providing systematic chronological and geographical coverage - Covers both historical trends and new areas of interest "For many readers, this work will prove helpful in engendering a broader understanding of the layers, complexities, and array of approaches in studies of Latin America. Summing Up: Highly recommended." ( CHOICE , February 2009) "Blackwell is to be congratulated on offering a comprehensive review drawing together the disparate threads of the history of the many nations which make up the southern half of the American continent … .For the undergraduate student of the general reader seeking a handy overview to the history of the region the present volume provides an excellent introduction." ( Reference Reviews , Issue 7 2008) "The 30 scholars who contributed these 28 essays covering prehistoric times to the present represent the fields of anthropology, archaeology, ethnography, gender studies, history, political science, and Spanish. They furnish readers with an excellent addition to the body of works exploring Latin America. Entries are ordered logically and pragmatically and lend structure to a comprehensive approach to the study of Latin America. This work treats Brazil as a distinctive entity and explores women, gender, family, and modern environmental history. The editor addresses the appropriateness of the descriptor "Latin America." The inclusion of these elements is timely, lending to the completeness of coverage. The maps are important to the few entries that include them and provide the reader with graphical data. However, the small size and indiscernible formatting of the maps undermines their potential usefulness. Because of the scholarly tone and depth of information provided in each entry, readers who already have a foundational knowledge of the region will extract the greatest benefit. Nevertheless, for many readers, this work will prove helpful in engendering a broader understanding of the layers, complexities, and array of approaches in studies of Latin America. Summing Up : Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above." ( A. G. Garza, California State University, Stanislaus, Choice, February 2008) "This volume is an accessible and welcome contribution to the general field of Latin American Studies. Overall, the volume is excellent with just the right mix of generalization and particularity. This volume is smartly structured, well informed, and written by top scholars in the field." ( The Americas: Quarterly Review of Inter-American Cultural History , April 2007) "Up-to-the-minute syntheses of scholarly literature on a wide array of topics, clearly and authoritatively presented. An indispensable tool for any student of Latin America’s past and present." – Reid Andrews, University of Pittsburgh "This excellent collection reminds readers of the depth and highly developed nature of Latin American Studies in the twenty-first century. Discussions of methods, historiography, and recent trends provide a sophisticated introduction that is useful for students and faculty in many different disciplines." – Jeffrey Lesser , Emory University "An impressive team, under able editorship, has put together a detailed, up-to-date and comprehensive volume which conveys a wealth of information and does not ‘talk down’ to the intelligent reader." – Alan Knight, St Antony's College A Companion to Latin American History provides a state-of-the-art overview of the history of Latin America in all its diversity. Comprising 28 chapters by leading world experts, it presents a single source of information and analysis for scholars and students interested in Latin America's past and is the ideal starting point for further study. Latin America is defined as the vast region stretching from the middle of North America through the entire tropic belt, and extending south over plains to the glaciers and fjords of the southernmost inhabited regions of the earth. In the pre-Columbian era, the area incorporated hundreds of distinct language groups; today, there are still more than 20 independent nations in the region. The essays recognize this variety, while providing systematic chronological and geographical coverage of the basic historical trends and new areas of scholarly interest. A Companion to Latin American History provides a state-of-the-art overview of the history of Latin America in all its diversity. Comprising 28 chapters by leading world experts, it presents a single source of information and