The Chile Reader makes available a rich variety of documents spanning more than five hundred years of Chilean history. Most of the selections are by Chileans; many have never before appeared in English. The history of Chile is rendered from diverse perspectives, including those of Mapuche Indians & Spanish colonists, peasants & aristocrats, feminists & military strongmen, entrepreneurs & workers, & priests & poets. Among the many selections are interviews, travel diaries, letters, diplomatic cables, cartoons, photographs, & song lyrics. Texts & images, each introduced by the editors, provide insights into the ways that Chile`s unique geography has shaped its national identity, the country`s unusually violent colonial history, & the stable but autocratic republic that emerged after independence from Spain. They shed light on Chile`s role in the world economy, the social impact of economic modernization, & the enduring problems of deep inequality. The Reader also covers Chile`s bold experiments with reform & revolution, its subsequent descent into one of Latin America`s most ruthless Cold War dictatorships, & its much-admired transition to democracy & a market economy in the years since dictatorship.