Open Veins Of Latin America
by Eduardo Galeano · first published 2008
59% recommend35% neutral6% critical
Why HN recommends it
A well-researched account of five centuries of colonial and foreign exploitation in Latin America. It serves as an eye-opening background read for anyone seeking to understand the region's present.
Common criticism: One commenter dismisses it as leftist and polemical, and it is an opinionated, politically charged work.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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…towards the US is much stronger in Central America and the Andean regions (Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, etc) As for being childish, the US has done a whole lot to earn that enmity. I'd recommend reading Open veins of Latin America, by Eduardo Galeano. It's a difficult read, due in no small part to the author's support of the Cuban Revolution and Castro's government. It helps, however, to recognize that the book was written in…
on “Ecuador offers WikiLeak's founder Assange residency, no questions asked ” ↗…still to this day(3)! So, thanks again for that completely brilliantly painted analogy. I hope you find these texts offer some compelling augmentations to your understanding. 1) Eduardo Galeano's "The Open Veins of Latin America" 2) Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz' "An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States" 3) CrimethInc's "No Wall They Can Build"
on “Anxiety and burnout: why kids are consumed with worry” ↗I'd also recommend you to read Eduardo Galeano, his book "Open veins of Latin America", although written in the 70's, is an eye opener to understand why the region is in its current state. I agree that corruption here in Argentina is everywhere. But not all the money has gone to the elites.…
on “Doing business in Argentina: A constant feeling of crisis” ↗Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano http://library.uniteddiversity.coop/More_Books_and_Reports/O...
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, by Naomi Klein (2007) Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent, Eudardo Galeano (1971)
on “Ask HN: Which book helped you understand the world?” ↗…fantastic, mature novel with fantasy elements, or Stephenson's "Snowcrash" for a colorful adventure not without gravitas. If you're trying to gain non-fiction information, I would recommend Galeano's "Open Veins of Latin America," CrimethInc's "No Wall They Can Build," or Ehrenreich's "Dancing in the Streets." In the realm of pure intellectual pursuit, Sacks' "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" will not disappoint.
on “Ask HN: Are books worth it?” ↗disregarding the last point, which I think is rather disrespectful, you have a good point. The open veins of latin america is a good read for those who are interested
on “Ruling on Argentina Gives Investors an Upper Hand” ↗Ah, very sad to hear that. I wrote my BA thesis about his use of metaphors in "Open Veins of Latin America". A very interesting read, and looking back, I quite enjoyed working with it.
on “German author Guenter Grass dies” ↗Along the same, er, vein, check out The Open Veins Of Latin America - it's a painstakingly well-researched and fiery book on the colonization and exploitation of Latin America for its resources, under the guise of "taming the primitives". It also documents the attempts…
on “1491: It’s likely that everything you know about American prehistory is wrong” ↗…and a thousand others. Neither have we stopped; where do you think Nestlé's palm kernel oil comes from? Not the raw resources within our borders. I recommend everyone read "No Wall They Can Build" and "Open Veins of Latin America".
…colonization, dictatorships propped up by first world powers, and being ruled by the same families that came with the Spanish 500 years ago. Might be worth it to also invest time in reading another book, like "Open Veins of Latin America", to understand the realities of what happened to Latin American countries in general, so you stop repeating stuff like that.
on “Factories Are Just Rooms” ↗I'd also recommend https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Veins_of_Latin_America
on “Secrecy, overclassification, and the the CIA’s hidden history” ↗Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano (the one Chavez gave to Obama in 2009), from 1971. "In the book Galeano analyzes the history of Latin America as a whole, from the time period of the European settlement of the New…
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite books? I'm bored” ↗Well, regarding South America there is a generation that grew up reading "Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent" (even the author Eduardo Galeano has criticized his own work). Blaming all the region problems on the "imperialists" and stuff like that is a line of thought…
on “Turkmenistan on the brink of collapse?” ↗This is a 1971 book by Eduardo Galeano. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Veins_of_Latin_America I assume it made front page since it’s topical to the current situation between the USA and Venezuela and its future implications.
on “Open Veins of Latin America Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent [pdf]” ↗