Blood of Brothers

A great political history of Nicaragua, focusing intently on the Sandinista revolution that toppled the Somoza regime, fought the counter-revolution Contras, lost power in the first real democratic and free elections, and now has taken control again. I like the Mr. Kinzer points out that the Sandinistas made three critical errors that lead to their losing the election of 1990: #1 "they believed they could build Nicaragua into a prosperous country without deferring to the principles of free enterprise"; #2 "they grossly underestimated the moral influence of Catholic bishops and, in particular, the esteem in which Nicaraguans held their spiritual leader, Cardinal Obando"; and #3 "they abused Miskito Indians and other ethnic minorities who had lived peaceably for centuries along the Atlantic coas, provoking a rebellion that attracted widespread sympathy both within Nicaragua and around the world." After surprisingly losing the presidential election of 1990 to Violeta Chamorro, Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas are back in control of Nicaragua. I can only hope that they will govern more successfully this time.

This book was really hard to put down. As a person familiar with Nicaragua since I grew-up there in the 1960s, I have been watching the saga of this nation unfold since then. The ingrained caste and feudal system is difficult to shake. It doesn't seem to matter what political spectrum takes power, they do nothing to break the vicious cycles of poverty and oppression that plagues the people there. Each generation has no better promise than the previous to break out of the quagmire. Seems like the international aid over the years just makes it easier for the system to perpetuate. How can those that have suffered under a given regime make it to the top and then grind-on their people in the same fashion that they were initially subjected to? Perpetual pathological sickness prevails. There are many lessons to be aware of as to how easily it is to be stuck in this mud - and how relatively blessed the USA is that we are not.

An excellent recent history of the struggles and conflicts in Nicaragua. It clarified the situation there. Even having been in Nicaragua, it seemed most difficult to get to the factual source of conflict there. It is a difficult subject for Nicaraguans to speak about as they try to unify and uplift life for their people.

Being a refugee who left the country as a child I never got an unbiased look at what really happened until I read this amazing book. It starts off before the takeover of the country by the communist Sandinistas to after the stunning election over a decade later. Stephen Kizer describes thrilling journeys where bombs go off at news conferences and clandestine stumblings into a contra camp. This book has humor (Rice for Peace?!), sadness (the 30,000 faceless people who died in the middle), to the mystical (a fair and poignant treatment of the Miskito Indians). Also the books details the visit of the Pope to Nicaragua which would headline news for various reasons as well as singer Kris Kristofferson (!) lending support to the Sandinista regime whose leaders soon afterwards head off to friendly nations of Libya and the Soviet Union. This book could almost be descibed as the definitive encylopedia of information but it's so much more: If my family hadn't lived through it it would almost read as a spy novel. There is also plenty of photos showing the major players of the conflict as well as personal photos of the author.

...the late 1970's-1980's period. I read this book after having spent time in Central America myself. I think Steven did a wonderful job of telling the truth about what happened in Nicaragua during the years he was there. He showed where the Sandinistas failed, and where the U.S. government failed the people of Nicaragua. Throughout the whole book he really made the reader aware of the stories that these people lived out; from a engineer from Portland, Oregon going down to help out, to the children in the hospitals suffering from war wounds. There is a large amount of history, personal experience, and cultural images to be gained from reading by book.