Beatriz Manz has written a moving chronicle of Guatemalan villagers who have endured unspeakable injustice, yet remarkably look to the future with hope. This splendid book is a beautifully written human story that is framed by the passions and devastating consequences of the Cold War. The narrative is a testament to the power of public anthropology and a must-read for those concerned about the marginalized of the south.

— Isabel Allende

The violent overthrow of democracy in Guatemala in 1954 by the army, with CIA backing, spelled the end of FDR's "good neighbor" policy. In its stead, Cold War ideology transformed Guatemala into one vast death camp. No wonder President Clinton apologized to the victims of that genocide. Beatriz Manz, as both an anthropologist and a human being, gives us a precise account of the high price of a political mistake.

— Carlos Fuentes