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Rating: 
Summary: Insightful and Educational
Review: This is a nice collection put together by Tom Hayden that serves to give one a broad overview of the Zapatista movement. There are many books out there written on the subject, none of which I have had the opportunity as of yet to read. I think the strength of the Zapatista Reader is the multi-faceted perspective it offers the reader on Marcos, the Zapatistas, the state of Chiapas, etc. Much of the well-known and respected Latin America media, as well as from around the world, weighs in with a different take on the history, culture, politics, economic theory and more. To some the book might be repetitive, as most of the authors recount a lot of the same details. However, I also believe that to be one of the book's strengths, that by the end of the reader one is well versed in the goings-on. As each author hails from a different educational and professional background, each provides different insights, pearls of wisdom if you will, just when you think there couldn't be anymore to learn. One comes away with knowing the Zapatista movement more as Mexico's version of the Civil Rights era than the next Cuban Revolution, an understanding of Mexican history, particularly as it concerns national and agrarian politics and much, much more. Though there is plenty of Marcos speak, those looking for strictly Marcos, or Marcos' words, still might be able to find better, perhaps in something like Our Word Is Our Weapon. However, if one appreciates excellent, insightful and detailed journalism, the Zapatista Reader is like reading a special edition Time, mutiplied by ten, the Zapatistas from all sides, uncensored, exposed. I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Insightful and Educational
Review: This is a nice collection put together by Tom Hayden that serves to give one a broad overview of the Zapatista movement. There are many books out there written on the subject, none of which I have had the opportunity as of yet to read. I think the strength of the Zapatista Reader is the multi-faceted perspective it offers the reader on Marcos, the Zapatistas, the state of Chiapas, etc. Much of the well-known and respected Latin America media, as well as from around the world, weighs in with a different take on the history, culture, politics, economic theory and more. To some the book might be repetitive, as most of the authors recount a lot of the same details. However, I also believe that to be one of the book's strengths, that by the end of the reader one is well versed in the goings-on. As each author hails from a different educational and professional background, each provides different insights, pearls of wisdom if you will, just when you think there couldn't be anymore to learn. One comes away with knowing the Zapatista movement more as Mexico's version of the Civil Rights era than the next Cuban Revolution, an understanding of Mexican history, particularly as it concerns national and agrarian politics and much, much more. Though there is plenty of Marcos speak, those looking for strictly Marcos, or Marcos' words, still might be able to find better, perhaps in something like Our Word Is Our Weapon. However, if one appreciates excellent, insightful and detailed journalism, the Zapatista Reader is like reading a special edition Time, mutiplied by ten, the Zapatistas from all sides, uncensored, exposed. I recommend it.
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