Oil and Coffee - (Contributions in Economics and Economic History) by Rene de la Pedraja (Hardcover)

About the Book

Latin Americans as sailors? This remark caused laughter among 19th-century foreign observers, particularly British observers. Yet, Latin Americans did struggle to create important merchant fleets, an effort largely ignored outside the region. This book rescues Latin American shipping from oblivion. In a chronological narrative, it presents the most important events in the emergence of Latin American shipping. While focusing on the shipping companies, the book also roams widely into governmental policy, foreign relations, and naval affairs.

Divided into two parts, the book opens with a brief summary of the age of sailing ships, then traces the history of the first steamship companies, focusing on Brazil and Chile until 1914. Part I then goes on to analyze the impact of World War I and the Great Depression. Part II considers World War II and U.S. surplus ships. New issues in Latin American shipping, arising in the 1950s, will be discussed in another volume.

Book Synopsis

Latin Americans as sailors? This remark caused laughter among 19th-century foreign observers, particularly British observers. Yet, Latin Americans did struggle to create important merchant fleets, an effort largely ignored outside the region. This book rescues Latin American shipping from oblivion. In a chronological narrative, it presents the most important events in the emergence of Latin American shipping. While focusing on the shipping companies, the book also roams widely into governmental policy, foreign relations, and naval affairs.

Divided into two parts, the book opens with a brief summary of the age of sailing ships, then traces the history of the first steamship companies, focusing on Brazil and Chile until 1914. Part I then goes on to analyze the impact of World War I and the Great Depression. Part II considers World War II and U.S. surplus ships. New issues in Latin American shipping, arising in the 1950s, will be discussed in another volume.

Review Quotes

.,."an interesting story about the economic trends or forces we now term "globalization..,."Recommended."-The Northern Mariner

?...an interesting story about the economic trends or forces we now term "globalization..,."Recommended.?-The Northern Mariner

?[p]resent instructors in Latin American history with some very good economic information...De La Pedraja's summaries do offer some interesting ideas, and for that reason the book is worth reading.?-American Historical Review

?De La Pedraja's book is to be recommended as an excellent introduction to its subject.?-The Marine's Mirror

?Grancolombiana Line, initially a partnership involving Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, is deftly handled and the entire work is a testament to the amazing amount of research that went into writing it....This is a delightful volume digested in individual segments.?-The Journal of Steamship Historical Society of America

?Oil and Coffee successfully demonstrates not only the importance of shipping to the domestic and international policies and events. While those who do not study Latin American shipping may be tempted to overlook this book, De La Pedraja's work offers insights into issues of import for scholars in any field of study.?-South Eastern Latin Americanist

?Rene De La Pedraja, History at Canisius College, has filled a large gap in our knowledge of this appealing subject with his book on Latin American shipping enterprises....Oil and Coffee takes its place...as a key reference work for anyone interested in twentieth century ships and trade....The multi-archival research that produced this book is itself an impressive accomplishment, assuring the status of this brief but ambitious volume as the most authoritative work on the Latin American merchant marine.?-The American Neptune

"Ýp¨resent instructors in Latin American history with some very good economic information...De La Pedraja's summaries do offer some interesting ideas, and for that reason the book is worth reading."-American Historical Review

..."an interesting story about the economic trends or forces we now term "globalization...."Recommended."-The Northern Mariner

"[p]resent instructors in Latin American history with some very good economic information...De La Pedraja's summaries do offer some interesting ideas, and for that reason the book is worth reading."-American Historical Review

"De La Pedraja's book is to be recommended as an excellent introduction to its subject."-The Marine's Mirror

"Grancolombiana Line, initially a partnership involving Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, is deftly handled and the entire work is a testament to the amazing amount of research that went into writing it....This is a delightful volume digested in individual segments."-The Journal of Steamship Historical Society of America

"Oil and Coffee successfully demonstrates not only the importance of shipping to the domestic and international policies and events. While those who do not study Latin American shipping may be tempted to overlook this book, De La Pedraja's work offers insights into issues of import for scholars in any field of study."-South Eastern Latin Americanist

"Rene De La Pedraja, History at Canisius College, has filled a large gap in our knowledge of this appealing subject with his book on Latin American shipping enterprises....Oil and Coffee takes its place...as a key reference work for anyone interested in twentieth century ships and trade....The multi-archival research that produced this book is itself an impressive accomplishment, assuring the status of this brief but ambitious volume as the most authoritative work on the Latin American merchant marine."-The American Neptune

About the Author

RENÉ DE LA PEDRAJA is Professor of History at Canisius College. The author of books on U.S. shipping and the history of energy policies and industries in South America, his most recent book is A Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Merchant Marine and Shipping Industry (Greenwood, 1994).