65 pages 2 hours read

Eduardo Galeano

Open Veins of Latin America

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1971

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

In Open Veins of Latin America, Eduardo Galeano explores the exploitation and economic dependency of Latin America from the Spanish colonization through contemporary times, focusing on how foreign powers, particularly Europe and later the US, have continuously taken advantage of the region's resources while contributing to social and economic inequalities. The book discusses violence, disease, and forced labor experienced by indigenous people.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano is widely praised for its powerful narrative and meticulous research, offering a critical examination of Latin American history and exploitation. Readers appreciate its passionate prose and compelling argument. However, some critics note potential biases and a lack of objectivity, feeling it may overly simplify complex issues. Overall, it remains a seminal and influential work.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Open Veins of Latin America?

A reader who would enjoy Open Veins of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano likely has an interest in Latin American history, social justice, and anti-imperialism. Comparable to readers of A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn or The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein, they appreciate thorough, critical exploration of historical exploitation and its contemporary impacts.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Themes

Society: Economics

Emotions/Behavior: Memory