Choice Review

Henderson (Winona State Univ.) provides a much-needed overview of Andean history for teaching undergraduate courses on the region. His synopsis of Andean history from pre-Inka times through the early 21st century, with a strong emphasis on 19th- and 20th-century developments in economics and politics, engages important themes such as precolonial cultures and political formations, the impacts of conquest and colonization, state formation, and the search for stability and economic growth. Henderson maintains a good balance of treatment among Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, an admirable accomplishment for a field that tends to be heavily weighted toward the central Andes. The text is readable and user-friendly; each chapter begins with a brief time line to orient readers to important chronology and events. Henderson presents complex historical issues, including historiography, clearly and concisely. He is at his strongest when discussing elite political and economic concerns and views. His treatments of women, indigenous peoples, and Afro-Andeans are briefer and less compelling, but his top-down narrative provides a very good starting point for student readers. Educators can supplement this text with readings focused on subaltern history and agency. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General and undergraduate audiences. E. E. O'Connor Bridgewater State University