Reseña de Choise

How Augusto Pinochet ruled Chile and was finally eased out in a referendum is well recorded elsewhere (see, for example, Chile under Pinochet, CH, Nov'00, 38-1797, by Mark Ensalaco). Spooner, a journalist, takes a different swath of time, extending from the general's removal in 1988 to his death in 2006. The perspective is valuable, as it provides a deeper, broader scope to Chilean politics. She focuses on several phenomena: the general's human rights violations, recalled and rediscovered; the often-furious pro-Pinochet resistance to such revelations; and the caution, even timidity, of the center-left (Concertacion) government in this polarized setting. Incidental issues along the way include Pinochet's money laundering dealings with the Riggs Bank (in Washington, DC); his use of multiple identities; his sizeable and eminently corruptible family; the former Nazi retreat in southern Chile, near where the Mapuche Indians struggle for land and autonomy; and the national elections, which are well covered from 1988 to the election of the wealthy conservative Sebastian Pinera in 2009. The transition ends with an apparent "never again" affirmed by both sides. A detailed chronology from 1973 and photos of the principals enhance the volume. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduate, graduate, and research collections. E. M. Dew emeritus, Fairfield University