'Sven Harten provides a readable, informed, insightful and theoretically grounded account which adds substantially to our understanding of contemporary Bolivian politics.' John Crabtree, Latin American Centre, University of Oxford 'Anyone concerned with contemporary Latin America should have this book in their library.' Richard Gott, former foreign correspondent for The Guardian and author of Hugo Chavez ... Read moreand the Bolivarian Revolution 'To the outside observer, Bolivia can seem like an impenetrable place. This invaluable book surely rectifies the problem. Through his impeccably researched and extensive dissection of Bolivia's political culture, Harten usefully frames the rise of Evo Morales upon the national stage.' Nikolas Kozloff, author of Revolution! South America and the Rise of the New Left 'Sven Harten delivers a fascinating multidimensional portrait of Evo Morales and the MAS, putting Bolivia's first indigenous, socialist president into the relevant historical, political, biographical and radical social movement perspectives. Indispensable reading for English-speaking followers of Latin America's revolutionary Pink Tide.' John Foran, University of California 'An extraordinarily knowledgeable account of the rise of one of Latin America's most fascinating political leaders. Harten's book follows Morales's political journey from the grassroots to the presidency and in parallel analyses the political and social changes of the past decade in Bolivia. A must-read for anybody interested in contemporary Latin American history.' Francisco Panizza, The London School of Economics and Political Science Show Less