A captivating new book from Wade Davis - winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for Into the Silence - that brings vividly to life the story of the great Río Magdalena, illuminating Colombia's complex past, present, and future.For Wade Davis, Colombia was the first country that captured his heart and gave him license to be free. Here, he tells of his travels on the mighty Magdalena, the river that made possible the nation. Along the way, he finds a people who have overcome years of conflict precisely because of their character, informed by an enduring spirit of place, and a deep love of their remarkable land.Braiding together memoir, history and journalism, Magdalena is at once an absorbing adventure through a spectacular landscape and a kaleidoscopic picture of Colombia as it stands on the verge of a new period of peace.'Outstanding... Davis tells epic tales of passion, violence and ambition with tremendous narrative verve' Sunday Times, Books of the Year'A wonderful evocation of a lifetime's travel in Colombia' Spectator, Books of the Year Read more

The timeless stories of three contemporary Latin Americans whose lives represent three driving forces that have shaped the character of the region: exploitation, violence, and religion.Leonor Gonzales, a miner's widow, lives in a tiny community perched in the Andean cordillera of Peru, the highest human habitation on earth.Carlos Buergos is a Cuban who fought in the civil war in Angola and was among hundreds of criminals Cuba expelled to the USA.Xavier Albó is a Jesuit priest from Barcelona who emigrated to Bolivia, where he works among the indigenous people.In Silver, Sword and Stone Marie Arana seamlessly weaves these stories with the history of the past millennium to explain three enduring themes that have defined Latin America since pre-Columbian times: the foreign greed for its mineral riches, an ingrained history of violence, and the abiding power of religion. What emerges is a vibrant portrait of a people whose lives are increasingly intertwined with our own. Read more

How amazing would it feel if learning conversational Spanish came naturally to you?Learning a brand new language, especially Spanish, can seem extremely daunting for students. Unfortunately, 80% of students give up before ever becoming conversationally fluent in Spanish... which means they’ll never be able to unlock and experience all the amazing social treasures the language provides.It’s not the students who are to blame though, in actuality, it is the majority of Spanish language products on the market today. Most learning guides and workbooks will carelessly dispense a dizzyingly disorganized list of Spanish words in front of you like lottery numbers and expect that to be enough to sow the seeds of conversational fluency.This is why we teamed up with a world-class Spanish coach—who is responsible for teaching celebrities, politicians, and over 1,000+ students Spanish quickly, acing their assessments and surpassing all their goals—to bring you this ultimate Spanish workbook - consciously curated to make you conversational, fast!In order to transform your Spanish-speaking capabilities, this workbook includes very specific elements inside, such as:A practical guide with essential words for everyday conversation. Carefully selected and organized, these words will be the foundation of 80% of your conversations. Includes definitions, examples, and pronunciation aids for immediate use.Quick and effective phrases to convey your message clearly to Spanish speakers. Say goodbye to misunderstandings and be recognized as part of the community. These practical phrases will enhance your Spanish skills.Engaging activities and quizzes designed by a top language coach to help you retain the valuable Spanish knowledge in this guide. Retention is key to success, and this workbook ensures your place among successful learners, even without prior Spanish education.Conveniently arranged categories for easy access, covering a wide range of contexts from restaurants and bars to business and work. Choose to focus on one area or master both with the freedom and versatility of this workbook.Plus, you'll receive 3 incredible bonuses only found here:100 Spanish Flashcards: Master common Spanish words and phrases with a comprehensive set of 100 printable & digital flashcards100 Spanish Audio Pronunciations: Perfect your pronunciation with accompanying audio recordings for each flashcard30-Day Study Plan: Follow a carefully crafted study plan to rapidly implement what you learn and make significant strides in your Spanish proficiencyExtra Bonus: Exclusive access to premium Spanish learning softwareThe benefits of learning Spanish are truly mind-blowing; it gives you the tools you need to boost your happiness exponentially, keep your brain sharp with your memory intact, and enrich all aspects of your life—especially socializing!The good news is you can get started now, and enjoy all these benefits simply by cracking open the covers of this book.Never again will you have to worry about being one of those students that have a difficult time comprehending Spanish and eventually just give up.Instead, do yourself a favor by opening your mind to all the amazing benefits Spanish will have on your life, by purchasing your copy of this, the ultimate Spanish workbook, today! Read more

'The techniques of the original Cold War have been updated and adapted for a new enemy in a new century, but the political essence is the same. The U.S. and its allies still seek to maintain the overall stability and long-term viability of the imperialist world system. This system is under threat from China, which is coalescing forces throughout the world in support of a new, multipolar world order; by definition a negation of the U.S. project for military and economic control of the planet.' - Carlos MartinezAs global tensions continue to escalate, it is necessary to reassert the importance of anti-imperialist struggle in both the Global North and South. On Imperialism collects together essays and reviews from Ebb Magazine that deal with the urgency of this topic and all of its manifestations, from calls for a Green New Deal to the US' withdrawal from Afghanistan and the British left's inability to broach the question of imperialism at all.Featuring writing by Louis Allday, Max Ajl, Yoseti Herrera Guitián, Alfie Hancox, Carlos Martinez, Henry Heller, Qiao Collective, Red Condor Collective, Edward Said, Marlon Ettinger, Lewis Hodder, and Matt Seidel. Read more

Colombia's status as the fourth largest nation in Latin America and third most populous-as well as its largest exporter of such disparate commodities as emeralds, books, processed cocaine, and cut flowers-makes this, the first history of Colombia written in English, a much-needed book. It tells the remarkable story of a country that has consistently defied modern Latin American stereotypes-a country where military dictators are virtually unknown, where the political left is congenitally weak, and where urbanization and industrialization have spawned no lasting populist movement.There is more to Colombia than the drug trafficking and violence that have recently gripped the world's attention. In the face of both cocaine wars and guerrilla conflict, the country has maintained steady economic growth as well as a relatively open and democratic government based on a two-party system. It has also produced an impressive body of art and literature.David Bushnell traces the process of state-building in Colombia from the struggle for independence, territorial consolidation, and reform in the nineteenth century to economic development and social and political democratization in the twentieth. He also sheds light on the modern history of Latin America as a whole. Read more

A captivating new book from Wade Davis - winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for Into the Silence - that brings vividly to life the story of the great Río Magdalena, illuminating Colombia's complex past, present, and future.For Wade Davis, Colombia was the first country that captured his heart and gave him license to be free. Here, he tells of his travels on the mighty Magdalena, the river that made possible the nation. Along the way, he finds a people who have overcome years of conflict precisely because of their character, informed by an enduring spirit of place, and a deep love of their remarkable land.Braiding together memoir, history and journalism, Magdalena is at once an absorbing adventure through a spectacular landscape and a kaleidoscopic picture of Colombia as it stands on the verge of a new period of peace.'Outstanding... Davis tells epic tales of passion, violence and ambition with tremendous narrative verve' Sunday Times, Books of the Year'A wonderful evocation of a lifetime's travel in Colombia' Spectator, Books of the Year Read more

This highly illustrated title traces the development of mercenary soldiering from individuals and small units in the African wars of the 1960s-90s to today's state-employed corporate military contractors.The phenomenon of mercenary soldiering has constantly recurred in the news since the 1960s and has always attracted lively interest. The concept of 'mercenaries' began in the former Belgian Congo during the 1960s when men such as Mike Hoare and Bob Denard assembled hundreds of military veterans to 'do the fighting' for a particular leader or faction. This idea soon evolved into small teams of individuals training and leading local forces with varying success; wars in Rhodesia and on South Africa's borders attracted foreign volunteers into national armed forces, and veterans of these conflicts later sought employment elsewhere as mercenaries. The wars in the former Yugoslavia also attracted foreign fighters inspired as much by political and religious motives as by pay. This picture then evolved again, as former officers with recent experience set up sophisticated commercial companies to identify and fill the needs of governments whose own militaries were inadequate. Most recently, the aftermath of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has seen such contractors taking on some of the burden of long-term security off major national armies, while the subsequent rise of ISIS/Daesh has added a parallel strain of ideological volunteers. The author is well placed to describe how the face of mercenary soldiering has evolved and changed over 60 years. Using first-hand accounts, photos and detailed illustrations, this book presents a compelling snapshot of the life, campaigns and kit used by mercenary operatives engaged in fighting within both larger and more specific conflicts around the world. Read more

For decades, Colombia was the 'narcostate'. Now travel to Colombia and South America is on the rise, and it's seen as one of the rising stars of the global economy. Where does the truth lie? Writer and journalist Tom Feiling, author of the acclaimed study of cocaine The Candy Machine, has journeyed throughout Colombia, down roads that were until recently too dangerous to travel, to paint a fresh picture of one of the world's most notorious and least-understood countries. He talks to former guerrilla fighters and their ex-captives; women whose sons were 'disappeared' by paramilitaries; the nomadic tribe who once thought they were the only people on earth and now charge $10 for a photo; the Japanese 'emerald cowboy' who made a fortune from mining; and revels in the stories that countless ordinary Colombians tell. How did a land likened to paradise by the first conquistadores become a byword for hell on earth? Why is one of the world's most unequal nations also one of its happiest? How is it rebuilding itself after decades of violence, and how successful has the process been so far? Vital, shocking, often funny and never simplistic, Short Walks from Bogota unpicks the tangled fabric of Colombia, to create a stunning work of reportage, history and travel writing. Read more

For decades, Colombia was the 'narcostate'. Now it's seen as one of the rising stars of the global economy. Where does the truth lie? How did a land likened to paradise by the first conquistadores become a byword for hell on earth? And how is it rebuilding itself after decades of violence?Writer and journalist Tom Feiling has journeyed throughout Colombia, down roads that were until recently too dangerous to travel, talking to people from former guerrilla fighters to nomadic tribesmen and millionaires. Vital, shocking, wry and never simplistic, Short Walks from Bogota unpicks the tangled fabric of Colombia to create a stunning work of reportage, history and travel writing.Books of the Year 2012 Boyd Tonkin, The Independent'Creates a portrait of Colombia that is perceptive, unsensational, and full of humanity ... Feiling is a brilliant reporter, lucid, unflinching, morally engaged, and with an occasional deadpan sense of humour .. one of the most consistently intelligent and compelling books to have appeared on any South American country in recent years' Michael Jacobs, Independent'Tom Feiling takes us on an enlightening journey through a changing country that few understand' Rachel Aspden, Observer'A deeply political account of one man's journey to the violent heart of modern, rural, Colombia ... a must read' Kevin Howlett, Colombia Politics'Feiling... venture[s] into areas that have been off limits for decades ... the sense of a vibrant nation worth discovering peeks out' Siobhan Murphy, Metro'The best British travel writers like Norman Lewis or Bruce Chatwin give the reader more than simple travellers' tales. Feiling is of their company ... a brilliant, penetrating and highly readable account' Robert Carver, SpectatorSome of the best insights in the book come from the people Feiling meets, and memorably portrays ... a well-written, thoughtful book David Gallagher, Times Literary SupplementDramatic and captivating Wanderlust'Elegantly written and knowledgeable. Feiling writes with the eye of a seasoned journalist and the style of a travel writer' Carl Wilkinson, Financial TimesTom Feiling spent a year living and working in Colombia before making Resistencia: Hip-Hop in Colombia, which won numerous awards at film festivals around the world, and was broadcast in four countries. In 2003 he became Campaigns Director for the TUC's Justice for Colombia campaign, which organizes for human rights in Colombia. His first book was The Candy Machine: How Cocaine Took Over The World, which was based on over sixty interviews with people involved in all aspects of the cocaine business and the 'war on drugs,' and was published by Penguin in 2009. Read more

The creation myth of the United States begins with the plucky English puritans who landed on the Mayflower, and went on to build the most powerful nation on earth.This is the story of the passengers aboard its sister ship, the Seaflower, who in 1630, founded a rival puritan colony on an isolated Caribbean island called Providence, convinced that England's empire would rise not in barren New England, but tropical Central America. But their crops failed, their slaves revolted, and as crisis loomed, the worldlier settlers turned to piracy. After ten years of conflict between God-fearing puritans and devil-may-care buccaneers, the Spanish invaded, and the colony was wiped out. Providence was soon forgotten in England, but as Tom Feiling discovers, the same drama was played out by the men and women who re-settled the island 100 years later. These days, Providence is a fascinating microcosm of the Atlantic story. At first glance, it is an island of devout churchgoers - but look a little closer, and you see that it is still dependent on its smugglers. At once intimate and global, this story of puritans and pirates goes to the heart of the contradictory nature of the Caribbean. But The Island that Disappeared also offers telling insights into Britain's history, and the global role that it imagines itself playing post-Brexit. Read more

If you’ve always wanted to learn Spanish, but still can’t, keep reading…Are you sick of not being able to learn Spanish? Have you tried countless language courses, but none seem to work? Do you finally want to say goodbye to boring Spanish textbooks and discover something that really works for you?Then, we have the perfect book for you.You see, learning Spanish doesn’t have to be complicated. The truth is that it’s much simpler than you think.In this book, you can become a Spanish beginner in just 30 days. But why 30 days? Isn’t a month a short time? Well, no. Setting a time frame is a great way to reach a goal, and 30 days is enough time to learn a lot of things.In Learn Spanish for Adult Beginners Handbook: Your Proven Guide to Speaking Spanish in 30 Days, you’ll discover:The most common grammar mistakes in Spanish and how to overcome themLots of useful Spanish phrases for everyday lifeSecrets to pronouncing Spanish like a true nativeThe most important verbs in Spanish and how to conjugate themThe days of the week, the months, and the seasonsAll the vocabulary you’ll need in your next trip…and much more!That’s right: this is the perfect book to dive head-first into Spanish. No matter how old you are, and no matter if you already know some basic Spanish or if you don’t know a word. This is a book for everyone and it will cover all the necessary topics so that, in just 30 days, you will already have all the skills you need to be able to communicate and have conversations in Spanish.Plus, you'll receive 3 incredible bonuses only found here:100 Spanish Flashcards: Master common Spanish words and phrases with a comprehensive set of 100 printable & digital flashcards100 Spanish Audio Pronunciations: Perfect your pronunciation with accompanying audio recordings for each flashcard30-Day Study Plan: Follow a carefully crafted study plan to rapidly implement what you learn and make significant strides in your Spanish proficiencyExtra Bonus: Exclusive access to premium Spanish learning softwareSo, even if you’ve never had any contact with the Spanish language, you can learn to speak it in only a month with "Learn Spanish for Adult Beginners Handbook: Your Proven Guide to Speaking Spanish in 30 Days!"If you are ready to learn Spanish in one month, scroll up and click “Add to cart” now. ¡Buena suerte! Read more

*A SPECTATOR, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH, ECONOMIST AND SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2020* A captivating new book - from the winner of the Samuel Johnson Prize for Into the Silence - that illuminates Colombia's complex past, present, and future through the story of the great Río Magdalena.Travellers often become enchanted with the first country that captures their hearts and gives them license to be free. For Wade Davis, it was Colombia. In this masterful new book, he revisits the mighty Magdalena, the river that made possible the nation. Along the way, he finds a people who have overcome years of conflict precisely because of their character, informed by an enduring spirit of place, and a deep love of a land that is home to the greatest ecological and geographical diversity on the planet. Only in Colombia can a traveller wash ashore in a coastal desert, follow waterways through wetlands as wide as the sky, ascend narrow tracks through dense tropical forests, and reach verdant Andean valleys rising to soaring ice-clad summits.Both a corridor of commerce and a fountain of culture, the wellspring of Colombian music, literature, poetry and prayer, the Magdalena has served in dark times as the graveyard of the nation. And yet, always, it returns as a river of life. At once an absorbing adventure and an inspiring tale of hope and redemption, Magdalena gives us a rare, kaleidoscopic picture of a nation on the verge of a new period of peace. Braiding together memoir, history, and journalism, Wade Davis tells the story of the country's most magnificent river, and in doing so, tells the epic story of Colombia. Read more

This is the first detailed scholarly study of culture and sociability in Colombia during the period c. 1850 and 1930. Patricia Londoño-Vega gives a vivid picture of some of the factors that reduced social distances in the province of Antioquia during this period of relative harmony and prosperity. She examines hundreds of the groups and voluntary associations which flourished at this time and which brought a growing number of Antioqueños of different social backgrounds together around religious practices and societies, the exercising of charity, a concern for education, and the pursuit of cultural progress.The book describes the crucial role played by religion and the Catholic Church, which underwent considerable growth after the turbulent period of mid-nineteenth century liberal reforms until the end of the conservative era in 1930, and traces the progress of parishes, devotional associations, religious communities, private and public religiosity, and numeros pilanthropic societies, all of which brought about the bonds between the classes.The author examines achievements in education and the emergence of a thriving gamut of literary groups, public libraries, social clubs, and other assciations created to promote public instuction, pedagogy, manners, temperance, 'cultivated' music, and moral improvement. These cultural associations strove towards the longed-for civilisation, as percieved in its prevalent Western connotations.The social intermingling brought about by all these forms of sociability did not of course abolish class distinctions, but did generate a complex and closely integrated society, with an optimistic and constructive view of itself. The description of social and cultural dynamism, set against the background of growing religiiosity, challenges the seldom-discussed assumption that religion slowed down social and cultural modernisation.Primary evidence, drawn from extensive researh in proceedings and reports by groups, associations, periodical publications, statistics, diaries and memoirs, travellers' accounts, books of etiquette, genre literature and other contemporary publications, as well as visual images, particulary photographs, document important topics which have in the past attracted little attention from scholars. Read more

Set in the author’s homeland, Colombia, this is the heartbreaking story of Leonor, former child soldier of the FARC, a rural guerrilla group.Paula Delgado-Kling followed Leonor for nineteen years, from shortly after she was an active member of the FARC forced into sexual slavery by a commander thirty-four years her senior, through her rehabilitation and struggle with alcohol and drug addiction, to more recent days as the mother of two girls.Leonor’s physical beauty, together with resourcefulness and imagination in the face of horrendous circumstances, helped her carve a space for herself in a male-dominated world. She never stopped believing that she was a woman of worth and importance. It took her many years of therapy to accept that she was also a victim.Throughout the story of Leonor, Delgado-Kling interweaves the experiences of her own family, involved with Colombian politics since the 19th century and deeply afflicted, too, by the decades of violence there. Read more

In Makers of Democracy A. Ricardo López-Pedreros traces the ways in which a thriving middle class was understood to be a foundational marker of democracy in Colombia during the second half of the twentieth century. Drawing on a wide array of sources ranging from training manuals and oral histories to school and business archives, López-Pedreros shows how the Colombian middle class created a model of democracy based on free-market ideologies, private property rights, material inequality, and an emphasis on a masculine work culture. This model, which naturalized class and gender hierarchies, provided the groundwork for Colombia's later adoption of neoliberalism and inspired the emergence of alternate models of democracy and social hierarchies in the 1960s and 1970s that helped foment political radicalization. By highlighting the contested relationships between class, gender, economics, and politics, López-Pedreros theorizes democracy as a historically unstable practice that exacerbated multiple forms of domination, thereby prompting a rethinking of the formation of democracies throughout the Americas. Read more

The mind-blowing true story of Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel beyond their portrayal on Netflix.Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar was a devoted family man and a psychopathic killer; a terrible enemy, yet a wonderful friend. While donating millions to the poor, he bombed and tortured his enemies – some had their eyeballs removed with hot spoons. Through ruthless cunning and America’s insatiable appetite for cocaine, he became a multi-billionaire, who lived in a $100-million house with its own zoo.Pablo Escobar: Beyond Narcos demolishes the standard good versus evil telling of his story. The authorities were not hunting Pablo down to stop his cocaine business. They were taking it over.Shaun Attwood’s War on Drugs series – Pablo Escobar, American Made, We Are Being Lied To and The Cali Cartel – are harrowing, action-packed and interlinked true stories that demonstrate the catastrophic consequences of drug prohibition. Read more

The timeless stories of three contemporary Latin Americans whose lives represent three driving forces that have shaped the character of the region: exploitation, violence, and religion.Leonor Gonzales, a miner's widow, lives in a tiny community perched in the Andean cordillera of Peru, the highest human habitation on earth.Carlos Buergos is a Cuban who fought in the civil war in Angola and was among hundreds of criminals Cuba expelled to the USA.Xavier Albó is a Jesuit priest from Barcelona who emigrated to Bolivia, where he works among the indigenous people.In Silver, Sword and Stone Marie Arana seamlessly weaves these stories with the history of the past millennium to explain three enduring themes that have defined Latin America since pre-Columbian times: the foreign greed for its mineral riches, an ingrained history of violence, and the abiding power of religion. What emerges is a vibrant portrait of a people whose lives are increasingly intertwined with our own. Read more

Killing Pablo is the inside story of the brutal rise and violent fall of Colombian cocaine cartel kingpin Pablo Escobar, whose criminal empire held a nation of thirty million hostage - a reign of terror that would end only with his death. In an intense, up-close account, best-selling author and award-winning journalist Mark Bowden exposes the never-before-revealed details of how U.S. operatives covertly led the sixteen-month manhunt.Drawing on unprecedented access to the soldiers, field agents, and officials involved in the chase, as well as hundreds of pages of top-secret documents and transcripts of Escobar's intercepted phone conversations, Bowden creates a gripping narrative that reads as if it were torn from the pages of a military technothriller. At every phase, he brings to life the men who brought the drug lord down. There is the Colombian president, Cesar Gaviria, afraid for his life and the future of his nation, who is forced to do the unthinkable: allow a foreign military to operate within his country's borders. There is the U.S. ambassador, Morris D. Busby, who brings in the most sophisticated surveillance team in the world, code-named Centra Spike, and the best team of manhunters, the mysterious Delta Force. And there is the leader of the Colombian forces, Colonel Hugo Martinez, an incorruptible man who lives under constant threat during the drug lord's reign - and whose own son plays a critical role on the fateful day when Pablo is finally found. Read more