American Liberator

A brilliant biography that "reads like a wonderful novel but is as thoroughly researched as a masterpiece of history" (Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs), tells the epic story of the famous South American general and statesman Simón Bolívar.

Simón Bolívar — El Libertador — liberated six countries from Spanish rule and remains the most revered figure in South America to this day. He traveled from the Amazon jungles to the Andes, fought in endless battles, and forged fragile coalitions from competing forces and races. He lived an epic life marked by heroism, tragedy (his only wife died young), and legend (he was saved from an assassination attempt by one of his lovers). In Bolívar, Marie Arana has crafted a comprehensive biography that is as bold and passionate as its subject.

Drawing on a wealth of primary documents, Arana vividly captures early nineteenth-century South America, which shaped Bolívar into the man he became: a fearless general, brilliant strategist, consummate diplomat, dedicated abolitionist, gifted writer, and flawed politician. A significant historical work that not only presents Bolívar's dramatic life in all its splendor but also serves as a poignant reflection on what it means to be South American.