Small earthquake in Chile: New, revised and expanded edition of the classic account of Allende's Chile

by Alistair Horne

Part history and current affairs, part travelogue, this is the story of a journey made by Alistair Horne and American politician/journalist, Bill Buckley through Colombia, Peru, Chile and Bolivia. They set off in September 1970, just after a Marxist government had come to power in a free election in Chile. The author's account has been updated with a further 10,000 words to include the only interview ever given to a Western journalist by Pinochet.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 26, 1972

About the author

Sir Alistair Allan Horne was an English journalist, biographer and historian of Europe, especially of 19th and 20th century France. He wrote more than 20 books on travel, history, and biography. He won the following awards: Hawthornden Prize, 1963, for The Price of Glory; Yorkshire Post Book of the Year Prize and Wolfson Literary Award, both 1978, both for A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962; French Légion d'Honneur, 1993, for work on French history;and Commander of the British Empire (CBE), 2003.

Reviews

[Keith Fitzpatrick]

This is definitely a book of it's time. The author is a fantastic travel writer of beautiful prose and actually makes you feel that you are there at that precise moment. It helps of if you have, like myself been to many of the places he describes. There are many brilliant passages of the events and people he meets. Obviously the downside to all this is the politics. Horne is 100% on the right side/persuasion when it comes to the coup and the failings of Allende and the left in general in South America. Most of his prose is always detrimental to any left wing view or version of events while most people on the right wing side of the argument are let off with the cursory " well they didn't know or were doing their best. The language in the book after a while is annoying and tiresome when it comes to political events or personalities. I was looking forward to reading this book after just finishing his book on Algeria and I would recommend it for its travel writing but stay far away from its political slant.
100%- travel writing
10%- political opinions Just my rating.

[Russell Mark Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who (lamentably) doesn't know much about 20th Century South American history, this book is a wonderfully detailed journalistic account of the "feel" of Andean countries during the early 70's. However, having done a little research into Horne (and from some references in the book), it is evident that politically he is situated to the right. But as an introduction to names, places, organizations and events, Horne delivers. He is clearly a dedicated journalist and historian, but as he has written (documenting a discussion from a Chilean guerrilla fighter), what is the "truth" in history? Can someone truly be objective when writing "a history?" I'm not sure of the answer, but I do know that although Horne tries to tread that line (and the pursuit is noble), I don't think he is always successful.

[Chang Ge · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is old, but still relevant. Reading this observation of the pre-Pinochet era with the benefit of hindsight can help readers gain a more nuanced understanding.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

great account of south america in the early 70s