Steve Ellner and Miguel Tinker Salas meet the need for a measured and accessible synthesis of the arguments around the decline of Venezuelan 'exceptional' democracy and the concomitant rise and presidency of Hugo Chávez. . . . The contributions are all of high quality. . . . Achieves its goal of introducing contemporary Venezuela to a student audience. . . . The volume successfully stimulates discussion and covers relevant topics at an accessible level for today's universities, colleges, and schools, while it is also more widely valuable to the inquiring general public.

- Michael Derham, Hispanic American Historical Review

With the rise and presidency of Hugo Chavez, Ellner finds himself uniquely positioned to commentate on and explain the drivers of contemporary change and political evolution in Venezuela, where he has lived for over 30 years. Unlike many of those currently writing on the country and its president, he brings an objective and informed perspective, one that transcends subjective accounts and the current polarization of assessments. More importantly, his writing and explanatory frameworks are accessible and engaging, making his latest book both an excellent introduction for those bewildered and new to the Chavez phenomenon and also an invaluable read for long-term observers of Venezuela and the South American region more broadly.

Bulletin of Latin American Research

An excellent overview of the collapse of Venezuelan democracy, the rise of Hugo Chávez, and what Venezuela looks like under Chávez.

- Judith Ewell, The College of William and Mary,