States of Defeat / Eric Vázquez / 2025
In States of Defeat, Vázquez skillfully tours the reader through post-war Central American literature, all of which imagined themselves in solidarity with its leftist struggles, and discusses how different authors and actors dealt with the difficult questions of solidarity. The selection of materials is astute, capturing a range of authors who really did a shit job, such as David Stoll and his destructive critique of Rigoberta Menchu, and those who wrestled with the legacy of the revolutionary movements with nuance, like Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. Vázquez’s takes are spot on and insightful. States of Defeat is extremely readable as an academic book. Vázquez writes with incredible verve. Taken as a whole, the chapters provide a great breadth of ground for people looking to explore how others have handled the challenge of leading solidarity movements. 5/5