**spoiler alert** The book covers the controversial life of irish patriot Roger Casement a man that gained the highest prestige and esteem while servi**spoiler alert** The book covers the controversial life of irish patriot Roger Casement a man that gained the highest prestige and esteem while serving as a diplomat and investigator for the British crown in regards to abuses and atrocities done by Belgians in Congo and then Peruvians in Peru on local populations all in the name of "progress and civilisation" (rubber production), the same man which would then become one of the strongest fighters for Irish freedom and turn its back to England , and would eventually travel during WW1 to germany trying to recruit irish Prisoners of War to form an army which would fight along Germany and thus be helped to gain independence. The irish prisoners would not agree to fight alongside those that bombed them in the trenches and thus Roger suffers a great delusion. A revolt in Ireland would start nonetheless which would end in bloodshed but would galvanize the irish spirit in the years to come. Not gaining the germany support he would get caught in Ireland trying to stop the revolt , then suffer a huge campaign in which he would get discredited, prosecuted and sent to death for high treason. Due to being a homosexual and noting in his diary many of his escapades as well as fantasy encounters his memory, name and deeds would be censored by Irish authroities (catholic country) until decades later when his name would be cleared and declared both a national hero of Ireland but also a hero against slavery and freedom.
This dude starts as a british explorer sent to Leopoldine Congo to study how the colony is doing. He discovers that behind the false colonial bravado that the belgian regime is bringing civilisation and wealth to the black indigens it is actually leading a murderous operation in which the locals are worked to death to extract very high quotas of rubber , their wives are raped and confined to make them work more , brutality , marking of men with iron and every kind of atrocity is done without remorse and everywhere and at each level there is a tacit agreement and understanding between thr parties. He travels within congo for many years noting everything he sees and then writes a report to the British Foreign Office.
His report goes viral and soon England finds itself having to cut ties with Belgium even if it risks making the latter get closer to rival Germany. Roger gains world recognition and is then sent to Amazonia (modern Peru) to investigate the activities of large british-peruvian rubber company operating deep within the jungle.
After throrough investigation he finds Congo repeating itself there....the company performing all atrocities in locals and effectively wiping out entire tribe populations.
It is at this time that Roger starts to tinker with his Irish origins and after finishing his job in Peru of exposing the company and making it go bankrupt, he starts travelling to Germany (by now ww1 started). He tries to recruit irish prisoners of war and make them go to Ireland and fight against the british. He is spat, shamed and called names by his countrymen. They would not collaborate with the germans. He does not manage to get too many recruits and he knows that the imminent revolt in Ireland will end in bloodshed without german support.
Before the revolt he tries to get to Ireland and stop the revolt. He is found and taken prisoner hy the british and sent to jail and condemned for high treason. The revolt ends in bloodshed with most irish fighters dead or captured and sentenced to death. He is sentenced to death and spends his last days rummaging through memories and trying to make sense of his choices, his cause, his spirit, his religion. He is hanged. Decades later his name will remerge as one of the most important irish patriots.
I gave this book 3 stars because after the first 50 pages till page 150 quite cumbersome, the narrative is quite confusing moving between the last moments spent in his cell and his beginings in Congo. After this point the novel becomes really good and graphic and you can see its well researched in regards to both Congo and Peru....more
**spoiler alert** Dupa nenumarate dictaturi militare in anii 50', singura initiativa puternica de a transforma Guatemala intr-o democratie autentica, **spoiler alert** Dupa nenumarate dictaturi militare in anii 50', singura initiativa puternica de a transforma Guatemala intr-o democratie autentica, initiativa, care incearca, precum Taiwan-ul, sa imparta pamanturile in parcele si sa le distribuie cetatenilor de rand pentru a facilitata competitia si libera initiativa, este innabusita in sange de armate de mercenari internationali. Acesi mercenari sunt finantati de o America prost informata, o America care se lasa prostita de teama aparitiei comunismului la ea in ograda.
Basically coporatia United Fruit , cea care a adus banana in America de Nord si a facut-o "staple food in SUA" , corporatie ale carei activitati in Guatemala erau total neregularizate, de teama aparitiei legilor si a controalelor si evident a TAXELOR , provoaca zbonuri si stiri false cum ca noua conducere (care incearca sa aduca democratia in Guatemala) defapt este pro rusa si comunista. Guvernul de la Washington distruge orice sansa la democratie si stabilitate pentru Guatemala, inflacarand astfel spiritul revolutionar in tarile americii latine pentru deceniile urmatoare (inclusiv in Cuba) apropiindu-le astfel de Rusia. They basically fucked up big time.
O carte care imprumuta si se foloseste destul de mult de o opera precedenta a lui MV Llosa si anume Sarbatoarea Tapului ce descrie dictatura lui Trujillo din Republica Dominicana.
Desi personajele nu sunt atat de contrastante, si ritmul si desfasurarea actiunii nu sunt nici pe departe atat de alerte precum cel din celalata carte mentionata, volumul de fata aduce claritate in ceea ce priveste situatia politica din Guatemala si America Latina a mijlocului de secol XX....more
**spoiler alert** While the book was not brilliant i'd say it was definetly good and worth it , to understand a bit more on this country that has been**spoiler alert** While the book was not brilliant i'd say it was definetly good and worth it , to understand a bit more on this country that has been plagued over the decades by a really trash , violent and abusing class of politicians and upper class.
A few points: - Colombia's geography is in such a way that it is really hard for the capital Bogota to assert , control and check what happens in the rest of the country. - Over the decades the two political parties have ruled in turn or together in one form or another over the country prioritising their own agendas and not giving a shit about the working class especially the peasants in the remote highlands - FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) was formed as a communist leninist political-guerilla movement that would oppose gonverment abuses and fight against class inequality. Some of their main goals have not changed from their incpetion: redistribution of land to the peasants , nationalising the state resources especially oil and energy. - Over the decades the guerilla has fought a bloody war first against the national army, then against paramilitaries sponsored by the government and later by the US - who wanted to gain easy access to the vast resources of the country. - The US , the Bogota gov , the paramilitaries have tried by any means thus violating a huge number human rights to eradicate the guerilla movement. All proved to be in vain eventually , because the roots of the problem (inequality) have never been addressed , therefore the poor class has always found a better alternative to join the FARC and actively support them. - In need of revenue FARC got heavily involved in the cocaine business , as the middle men between the poor farmers and the drug cartels. They would set a fixed price per kg of coca and act on behalf of the farmers not to grt extorcated. - After nearly 70 years and a lot of bloodshed , after many presidents , all adopting an aggresive stance towards the guerilla , the problems have remained the same. The guerillas are fighting with rudinentary weapons attacking nowadays foreign oil corporations setting shop in the oil rich areas , blowing up pipelines and planting land mines across huge spots of land. - Despite the huge number of colltateral damage and incredible number of civilian deaths , no the politicians try relentlessly to keep everything under the rug , to pay paramilitaries to do their dirty work thus killing , raping , torturing and displacing civilians in order to root out the guerilla , failing to address the socio-economical issue , the elephant in the room.
A really really sad situation , and a total surprise for me , hoping post Narco Era Colombia would get their shit together. -...more
**spoiler alert** O carte exceptionala ce descrie viata si cariera lui Simon de Bolivar cel ce a eliberat America de Sud de sub secole de dominatie sp**spoiler alert** O carte exceptionala ce descrie viata si cariera lui Simon de Bolivar cel ce a eliberat America de Sud de sub secole de dominatie spaniola.
Simon de Bolivar este cunoscut si ca Washington al continentului sud american. Nu sunt de acord. Este mult peste Washington !
Daca in revolutia americana avem multiple personalitati cheie ce au asigurat o coeziune si o cauza comuna impotriva imperiului britanic, in America de Sud, Bolivar a fost mai mult sau mai putin singur in a sa cruciada impotriva Spaniei, ducand de unul sigur cu o energie si un elan nemaiintalnit greul.
Populatia din America de Sud, geografia si mentalitatile sunt mult prea diverse. Notiune de bine colectiv , stat de drept si lege nu existau in secolul XIX in SA si nici in ziua de azi nu s-a ajuns la un nivel acceptabil in multe tari.
Pe langa faptul ca a dus un razboi de aproximativ 20 de ani impotriva spaniolilor calarind (~75000km) prin munti , razbind prin jungle , fluvii , cetati fortificate, cea mai mare provocare au reprezentat-o oamenii pe care trebuia sa ii uneasca. A trebuit sa negocieze sa inchida si sa execute foarte multi generali si guvernatori , oameni in subordine, oameni duplicitari , mandri si de cele mai multe ori , la cel mai mic semn de slabiciune de-a dreptul tradatori.
Bolivar nu a fost ca Washington care l-a avut pe Hamilton ca om in subordine pe care se putea baza in permanenta, nu a avut oameni (cu exceptia lui Sucre mai tarziu) pe care ii putea lasa de capul lor sa guverneze. Trebuia in permanenta sa revina , sa pacifice , sa dea dispozitii sa fie si putere legislativa si judecatoreasca si executiva.
Poate cea mai interesanta parte din aceasta carte este finalul si epilogul. In ciuda meritelor sale incontestabile in final dusmanii sai mediocri l-au atacat din toate partile , in ciuda faptului ca a eliberat Venezuela , Columbia , Peru , Ecuador, Bolivia si Panama, in ciuda faptului ca toate economiile sale le-a dedicat campaniei sale , a refuzat sa primeasca indemnizatii , in final toti l-au alungat, i-au barat intrarea in tarile lor , a ranas singur si sarac , bolnav de tuberculoza , nevoit sa se refugieze in Caraibe si sa moara . Abia dupa moartea si-au dat seama urangutanii ce au facut...si ce au pierdut...dintr-o data din persoana non-grata a devenit un idol , ideile sale fiind repurtate de generali , guvernatori , figuri religioase , profesori , mii de carti scrise pe seama sa .....
Am fost de-a dreptul scarbit de-a lungul cartii de conationalii sai, de sud americani , iar la final scarba s-a trabsformat intr-i puternica greata , modul in care prostia, trufia, mediocritatea, ingratitudinea reusesc sa omoare spiritul unui titan precum Bolivar.
Bolivar a fost un vizionar, un spirit luminat, un spirit neinteles pentru vremea lui. Pentru mine viata lui a fost o tragedie...
O carte superba, o carte ce descrie atat razboiul de eliberare cat si geopolitica primei jumatati a secolului XIX, relatiile cu Anglia , Franta , SUA, relatiile cu statele din Sudul americii de sud si cum au fost acestea eliberate de San Martin si multe altele.
**spoiler alert** Dupa primele 3 pagini am stiut ca Isabel Allende este o scriitoare in adevaratul sens al cuvantului si mai mult decat atat , cred ca**spoiler alert** Dupa primele 3 pagini am stiut ca Isabel Allende este o scriitoare in adevaratul sens al cuvantului si mai mult decat atat , cred ca il depaseste chiar si pe Hemingway atunci cand zugraveste scene de razboi/teroare/drama.
Povestea este cea a unui cvasi-cuplu catalan (el doctor, ea piansita fiind sotia fratelui decedat in razboi) care fortat de razboiul civil spaniol (iminenta victorie a lui Franco) se vad nevoiti sa abandoneze patria ,fugind in Franta (chiar inaintea inceperii WW2) si de acolo prin pur noroc reusesc sa isi asigure locuri pe vaporul de refugiati Winnipeg cu destinatia Chile , "acea lunga petala de mare" ce ii va primi cu bratele deschise.
Odata cu evolutia vietii de cuplu a celor doi protagonisti , asistam si la schimbarile prin care trece lumea in perioada 1936-1994 , razboiul civil spaniol , WW2 dar mai ales Chile de la republica moderata , la ridicarea miscarii de stanga a lui Salvador Allende pana la asasinarea acestuia si instaurarii huntei militare ale lui Augosto Pinochet ,fapt ce ii va determina pe cei doi sa fuga din nou , de data aceasta in Venezuela.
O poveste incredibila ce trateaza drama razboiului , fuga , refugiul , pierderea caminului dar si viata , speranta , perseverenta si puterea de a incepe din nou de la zero....more
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