The Ecuador Reader: History, Culture, Politics

The Latin America Readers

by Carlos De La Torre (Editor), Steve Striffler (Editor), Orin Starn (Series Editor)

Encompassing Amazonian rainforests, Andean peaks, coastal lowlands, and the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador’s geography is notably diverse. So too are its history, culture, and politics, all of which are examined from many perspectives in The Ecuador Reader . Spanning the years before the arrival of the Spanish in the early 1500s to the present, this rich anthology addresses colonialism, independence, the nation’s integration into the world economy, and its tumultuous twentieth century. Interspersed among forty-eight written selections are more than three dozen images. The voices and creations of Ecuadorian politicians, writers, artists, scholars, activists, and journalists fill the Reader , from José María Velasco Ibarra, the nation’s ultimate populist and five-time president, to Pancho Jaime, a political satirist; from Julio Jaramillo, a popular twentieth-century singer, to anonymous indigenous women artists who produced ceramics in the 1500s; and from the poems of Afro-Ecuadorians, to the fiction of the vanguardist Pablo Palacio, to a recipe for traditional Quiteño-style shrimp. The Reader includes an interview with Nina Pacari, the first indigenous woman elected to Ecuador’s national assembly, and a reflection on how to balance tourism with the protection of the Galápagos Islands’ magnificent ecosystem. Complementing selections by Ecuadorians, many never published in English, are samples of some of the best writing on Ecuador by outsiders, including an account of how an indigenous group with non-Inca origins came to see themselves as definitively Incan, an exploration of the fascination with the Andes from the 1700s to the present, chronicles of the less-than-exemplary behavior of U.S. corporations in Ecuador, an examination of Ecuadorians’ overseas migration, and a look at the controversy surrounding the selection of the first black Miss Ecuador.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Travel, Latin American History

480 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2008

About the author

Carlos de la Torre is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Kentucky and Emeritus Professor at FLACSO-Ecuador. He earned his PhD at the New School for Social Research and was was granted fellowships at the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. De la Torre has published a dozen books and more than 100 articles and chapters in academic publications.

Reviews

[LeeAnn Heringer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm leaving soon on a trip that will include Ecuador, so I wanted to love this book. I wanted a book that would give me some overview on the history and politics and literature of the country. But... *shakes head* this book was so uninteresting, such a dull read, almost a parody of clueless, droning academia. It was terribly earnest. I'm sure if you're getting a degree in South American studies this is the sort of book that is forced on you and no one worries whether you enjoy it. There were exceptions, but I walked away with the impression that no one in last century who knew how to write had tried to say anything about Ecuador. And the selection of literature imply a rich homosexual tradition in Ecuadorian novels which were interesting, but it surprised me that that such explicit descriptions of sex between men would be common there.

So, no, this book was not what I'd hoped for.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, that book was chock full of lots of good information and pretty good literature. As someone looking to learn a little bit about Ecuador I got easy more than I bargained for, and on 4-5 page pieces that were ready to process but also made it hard to keep going when every few pages I felt like I'd accomplished something by finishing a section.
Pros and cons. Much better a textbook than an informal sum up.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was most likely written for a foreign studies college class. It took a while, but overall I'm glad to have read it considering I'm now living in Ecuador.

I'm also guessing there could be significant updates since Correa's controversial presidency is not even mentioned.

Especially enlightening was an excerpt from Salomon Isacovici's autobiography Man of Ashes--a Holocaust survivor who emigrated to Ecuador only to find the conditions and treatment of the poor similar to past experiences.

[Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Living in Ecuador, I excitedly picked up this book, "The Ecuador Reader" a couple of years ago, FREE, at a goobye party for another colleague. It was a good find! "The Ecuador Reader" is an anthology of a little bit of everything about Ecuador, written primarily by Ecuadorians or foreigners who have lived here and know the country. I valued this read, though it wasn't always exciting. One gathers keen insight into the way this country works by ingesting the wisdom of this book.

Published in 2008, when the dollarization program was only eight years old, I now see Ecuador in 2020, though moderately beaten up by COVID-19, a little better off than perhaps it was in 2008. Dollarization has curbed inflation and I see improvements in the country all over. I have said to some people that Ecuador is the "Switzerland" of South America, though it still has its problems.

These problems seem to be chronic: the lack of motivation among the indigenous people to assimilate, or perhaps better put "to bother to care" about trying to improve their lives, the corruption that is endemic and even "expected," and the institutionalized cheating that goes on in schools. Living in Ecuador I try to stimulate local businesses by my support and also to internationalize the people with English lessons and "foreign point-of-views." Reception is good. Ecuador needs more Ecuadorians to stay here, work hard, think innovatively, and to bother to care. "The Ecuador Reader" has helped me to understand better what impedes the country from doing these things.

[Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of a series of books published by Duke University Press, each on a different country in Latin America. This volume covers Ecuador, and emphasizes the country's social and political history. Overall, as a reader who came to the subject uninformed, I found it an appealing and helpful introduction. Some of the selections are burdened by excessively academic jargon, but the book covers an interesting breadth of topics. It wasn't always easy to tell where they came from - there is additional suggested read at the end, and a page of copyright credits, but some of the chapters don't appear there - perhaps they were written specifically for this volume? Selections I found particularly compelling were A. Kim Clark, 'Railway and nation in Liberal Ecuador', which linked the economic and political features of the period 1890- 1930; a number of the selections in part IV, 'Global Currents'; and Norman Whitten, 'Emerald Freedom: With Pride in the Face of the Sun', on the Afro-Hispanic traditions of the state of Esmeralda. I particularly liked the poetry of Maria Fernanda Espinosa, which features rich imagery from the natural world.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nicely curated collection of essays from experts on Ecuadorian subject matter ranging from history, anthropology, politics, art and food. Most of the selections are ten pages or less and are written to give the lay-person a decent grasp of the subject matter. Some writers are better than others, and even the driest submissions are tolerable due to the short length.

I read this work while here in Ecuador on a two week mountaineering trip and the history lessons, the political differences between the coastal cities and the highlands and the explanations of the different races and classes this book offered were extremely helpful as bedrock for my experiences. Recommended for anyone interested in understanding more about this beautiful country.

[Zachary Rudolph · Rating 2 out of 5]

“I had sought refuge at the end of the world and I had wanted to forget the past, but I had come to understand that the past is never completely swept away and forgotten. It is with us always, for better or for worse. Suffering and misery were as much a part of those barren plateaus as the past in my soul. ... Simply put, I had seen up close another facet of humanity, just as terrible as the concentration camps, even though the situation was relatively unknown by most people and of little concern to others.”

[Jerry Muzsik · Rating 4 out of 5]

if you're interested in Ecuador, you'll be bound to find some good stuff in here. i found myself skipping over some of it, reading intently some of the other parts. a good primer to get an understanding of the history of Ecuador from way back (ancient civilizations to some 10 or so years ago). i mean, there's not a whole lot of modern english material out there about Ecuador so i would absolutely recommend this if you have an interest in the country

[Sylvie Spraakman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting essays, though I skipped through several as they were of less interest to me. Several essays were not well referenced, which surprised me. The first few were strong concise writings with good referencing, and later there's less of that!

[AskHistorians]

These are a series of country studies that provide a valuable overview of various Latin American countries. They use both primary and secondary sources by eyewitnesses and important scholars respectively to illuminate key periods of each country’s history. They also include a trove of images, maps, and fine art. Each volume focuses on a single country. Currently, Duke has published readers about the Dominican Republic, Chile, Paraguay, Guatemala, Ecuador, Perú, Costa Rica, Cuba, México, Argentina, and Brazil

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice background reader of essays about Ecuador's history, politics & culture. Took it with me on my recent trip and learned a lot of things I wouldn't have known about otherwise. Some of the essays are drier than others.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

so glad I read this before going to ecauador. My host mom's brother who is an visual anthropologist has an article in here. exciting!

[Amber Laree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anthropology, politics, history, archeology- a great read!

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very nice collection of articles that offer insights into Ecuador's political, historical and cultural context, although an update would be in place.

[Andrew Cawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great source for Anthropological information about the culture, history, and (historical and current) politics of Ecuador... albeit from an outside perspective

[Adam Geisler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good collection of articles, mostly academic, that range from indigenous history to recent political struggles. The variety of topics is what kept my interest.

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

Began reading while in Ecuador on vacation. Was great information while there, and then I slowed down in finishing it upon returning home. Well worthwhile.