Silver, Sword, Stone

★ 2019 American Library Association Notable Books List Nonfiction Award Winner ★ 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction Longlist ★ The key to understanding Latin America lies in the history interwoven with the three forces of silver, sword, and stone. . 【Synopsis】 Leonor González lives in a small community located 5,500 meters high in the Andes mountains of Peru, one of the highest human settlements in the world. Like her late husband, she works in a gold mine, in a manner almost identical to how indigenous people were forced to work after the Spanish conquest. In the local area, illiteracy, malnutrition, and disease are as prevalent as they were five hundred years ago, and to this day, a miner's survival is still subject to the broader global market. Carlos Buergueros, a Cuban who fought fiercely in the Angolan Civil War in his youth, now lives in a quiet community outside New Orleans, USA. He was one of hundreds of criminals expelled from Cuba to the United States in 1980. His story echoes the violence that has permeated Latin American history, from pre-Columbian conquests to the atrocities of Spanish colonization, from 19th and 20th-century wars and revolutions to today's street unrest and military repression. Javier Albo is a Jesuit priest from Barcelona, Spain, who immigrated to Bolivia and has worked among indigenous people for decades. He considers himself an Indian in thought and emotion, and is widely known in his "second homeland." Although his goal is more about learning than proselytizing, his experience is actually in line with a volatile past. At that time, priests and conquerors advanced side by side, forcing indigenous people to convert to Christianity in order to compete for the New World. Since then, the Catholic Church has played a central role in Latin American political life, a role that is clearly two-sided. In "Silver, Sword, and Stone," Peruvian-American writer Marie Arana seamlessly weaves the stories of three contemporary Latin Americans with a thousand years of Latin American history, using rich historical data and solid documentary writing. This illuminates the three enduring themes that have defined Latin America from pre-Columbian times to the present: the endless external demand for resources (silver), the lingering shadow of violence (sword), and deep-rooted religious beliefs (stone). Connecting history and reality, and setting aside the "victor's perspective," Arana attempts to uncover the "nature" established by Latin America's unique experiences, outlining the identity, mindset, and destiny of the people in this land. . 【Editor's Recommendation】 1. Unveil the hazy veil, perceive Latin America in one book How can one comprehensively grasp the history and reality of Latin America? What characteristics do the people of this land possess? Whether it's mysterious ancient civilizations, distinct literary styles, turbulent political situations, or unbalanced development, why is Latin America so different from other regions of the world? You might find the answer after reading this book. 2. Silver - Sword - Stone: The three elements that grasp the soul of Latin America Author Arana uniquely and boldly proposes three enduring themes that have defined the land of Latin America for a thousand years: silver – the endless external demand for mineral resources, sword – deep-rooted violent methods, and stone – the enduring power of religious belief. Their influence existed even before the arrival of the colonists and is rooted in the minds of Latin Americans today, serving as an important entry point for understanding Latin America. 3. Peruvian-American writer genuinely reflects on Latin American identity, attempts to uncover the "nature" of Latin America Arana was born in Lima, Peru, and moved to the United States at the age of 9 (her father was Peruvian, her mother American). Her childhood involved the transition and adaptation between two countries, and she has years of thought and insight into Latin American cultural identity. She possesses both rich personal experience and an outsider's perspective, with both criticism and reflection, making her an ideal choice to write on this topic. 4. Writing style combining history and documentary, with both panoramic views and insights Arana, as a journalist, deeply followed three interview subjects for periods ranging from 5 to 25 years, presenting their experiences with vivid feature-style writing. She also used solid and rigorous documentary research to lay out the millennium-long historical backdrop of Latin America, allowing us to see how the life trajectories of these three miners, soldiers, and priests echo those of their ancestors hundreds of years ago, and how the destiny of the Latin American people is intertwined with the story of "silver, sword, and stone." . 【Praise from Celebrities/Media】 Marie Arana's new history of Latin America, "Silver, Sword, and Stone," is profound and astonishing. I recommend anyone who wants to understand this hemisphere and our current crisis to read this book. Julia Alvarez Dominican-American writer, recipient of the National Medal of Arts, author of "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" As Arana herself states, "Silver, Sword, and Stone" is not a straightforward history of Latin America. Nor is it a work of journalistic non-fiction. Rather, it is a hybrid, combining academic historical analysis with in-depth reporting and political commentary... Its well-reasoned and powerful expression deserves widespread attention. Álvaro Enrigue Mexican writer, research scholar at the Princeton Latin American Studies Program, author of "Sudden Death" To trace the soul of a continent is an extraordinary feat, and Marie Arana achieves this with academic precision, a fair moral stance, and elegant prose. Anyone who wants to understand – truly understand – what Latin America is and where it comes from should start with "Silver, Sword, and Stone." Juan Gabriel Vásquez Colombian writer, author of "The Sound of Things Falling" Based on meticulous research, the strengths of this book lie in its epic narrative, beautiful writing, and well-developed characters... Arana's strength lies in the passion and power of her storytelling, and her interpretation of what has shaped Latin America over the past five hundred years touches on the truth... An excellent work. The Washington Post Through her unique excavation of a triple "imprint," Arana tells the history of Latin America... In this masterpiece of exploration, connection, and analysis, Arana offers a gripping, alternative perspective on an important region betrayed by greed and tyranny. Booklist (starred review)

出版日期/Publication Date：April 5, 2021
出版社/Publisher：中信出版集团
出品方/Imprint:Xinsi Culture
页数/Page: 528