Bolivar: Liberator of a Continent

by Bill Boyd

In this first English language biography of South America's greatest hero, Simn Bolivar's life unfolds like a Greek tragedy. From defeat, he rises to triumph, liberates Venezuela, Columbia, Panam, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, falls into disfavor and exile, only to be worshipped, idolized, and deified after his death.

Genres: Biography, History

280 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1998

About the author

Retired Macon Telegraph columnist Bill Boyd led a nomadic existence for the first 38 years of his life, first as the son of an Oklahoma sharecropper and then as a member of the United States Marine Corps.

Reviews

[KOMET · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical novel about the life of Simón Bolívar (1783-1830), a soldier and statesman responsible for the liberation of much of Spanish-speaking South America from Spanish rule during the early 1800s.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I picked up this book at the bargain table I expected either a dry and boring biographical book or a highly fictionalized romanticized novel. Instead, it was a lively dramatic novel about Simon Bolivar, the Liberator of South America. Bolivar's complex nature comes alive on the pages as do his loves, victories, exile and heroic persona. Although it was historical fiction, I came away with a deeper appreciation for the spirit of Bolivar. This was an enjoyable read.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boyd tried to mutate this historical novel into something reminiscent of a fictional novel. He used literary devices to try and make it seem that you weren't reading a history book. His use of these literary devices was awful. You knew it was a history book, and trying to cover it up obviously made it even worse. It was over dramatic at points and tried to turn Bolivar's life into a romantic and bittersweet existence. It was readable for a history book, because it did try to hold your hand and walk you through the history, but it was almost sappy in its attempt at storytelling.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A novelized biography a bit long on Bolivar's conquests off the battlefield.

[Kai Palchikoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

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