You may recall my article from a couple weeks ago on Simon Bolivar?

I'll confess I wasn't too familiar with him except that he led South America to independence, and got into a tennis match with the Prince of Spain long before he was a revolutionary!

Well, I just finished a biography on him by Marie Arana, and I'm very glad I picked one up.

This particular biography was full of captivating stories, flawed and complex characters, vivid and dramatic scenery and pogent words that made your heart sore to the top of the Andes.

Every word leapt off the page in front of me. It was exciting and gripping, and I felt as though I was with Bolivar crossing the Andes, fighting the injustices or shaking my head with his friend Sucre every time Simon did something silly.

The book read like a novel, and conveyed gripping imagery and insights into the emotions of the people involved. One thing I loved was how human Bolivar was. In many biographies the protagonist is usually glorified as the most amazing, most benevolent person to ever step foot on this earth.

Bolivar has been glorified in history, but at the core he was very human- which I think makes him all the more inspiring and interesting as a person. Bolivar had somewhat of a clingy attachment style at times, and lost many people throughout his short life. He was brave and determined, but at the same time he was that child who threw temper tantrums because he didn't want to do his homework. As an adult he was impulsive and channeled his stubbornness into a determined energy to end all injustices.

I loved Bolivar's sense of justice! It was inspiring, especially in light of how often his dreams failed or were discouraged- the strength that Bolivar pushed through like should I say... Angel Falls rushing down from the cliffs of Venezuela?

I cried a lot, I got attached to many people and they all were written in a very human way. There weren't really any villains, although a few people went down unsavory paths or made poor choices based on jealousy or greed. Bolivar himself, although the hero, also made some bad choices- but seemed to pick himself up easily.

The book starts out with Bolivar galloping on his horse, he isn't introduced by name but the dramatic arrival of El Libertador leaves a perfect intriguing environment as he gallops into the dark night. It then steps back and you see his birth, his family situation is very privileged but sadly unstable. His father died when Bolivar was two and his mother died when he was nine. He was raised by various people, and his stubborn nature left many annoyed at him.

There are also many cool tidbits, like a tunnel between young Simon's house, and his grandpa's house which his grandpa built for Simon and his brother.

Finally, an inspiring young teacher- Simon Rodriguez steps into the scene and is able to work with Bolivar's strong willed nature. He brings Bolivar outside to learn, and introduces Bolivar to the Enlightenment ideals.

Rodriguez is a dissident, and is forced to leave Venezuela during political upheaval.

Eventually Bolivar is sent to Europe to learn, and further enriches himself in Enlightenment ideals. Down the road he is disgusted at Napoleon Bonaparte's proclamation of creating a French Empire. He admired Bonaparte, and this was seen as a betrayal of republican ideals.

The set up for Bolivar's later life serves as brilliant personality development. The reader watches him grow and mature, they see his hopes and dreams and his lifelong sense of justice. He even makes a dramatic rant about Napoleon during a dinner party!

It is full of little personality traits of Bolivar such as his love of dancing, his dramatic statements and his defining determination for the truth to prevail against all odds--- come what may!

You feel Bolivar's immense joy at the dance, as well as his "victory dance" when he found out about liberated countries.

You feel the intense indignation of El Libertador as he learns about society's injustices, racism and other societal ills. You feel like slamming your fist on the table and mounting a horse to cross the Andes yourself and liberate Colombia!

You mourn with Bolivar as he looses those he holds closest, his wife who died after a few months of marriage, and (for me at least) his best friend Sucre who served as a solid voice of reason throughout the book and was unjustly murdered because of a false rumor.

I got connected to the people. Each one was special, unique, and interesting in their own ways. I loved how they wrestled with ambitions, dreams, and human concerns. Bolivar's excitable energy, Sucre's wisdom, San Martin's introvertedness, Rodriguez's eccentric moments, and Manuela's humor, all added flavor to the story. Each person was unique, and had a story of their own. They all seemed like characters I'd run into at the hallways of Liberty University, and get coffee with.

Also, if you are curious where you'd fit in the drama...

I loved the descriptions, and the dialogue. The dialog was real, vivid and as moving as the Amazon river. Even though I knew certain people were going to die, I still cried for Sucre, Maria Teresa, Bolivar, and others. It was more than just a biography- it was a dramatic account of a story, a story of determination, justice and solidarity.

In the end, Bolivar's dream of a united South America fell apart due to jealousy, hatred and rivalries. Bolivar himself warned that a nation bent on racism and hatred would in the end descend into anarchy only to be ruled by a series of strong men overthrowing each other in coups.

This observation rings true today, and shows the danger of hatred. Bolivar's determination to fight against all odds, and to never give up despite setbacks was very inspiring and was probably one of my favorite parts of his story.

When the going got tough, Bolivar was there pushing on for the future and his friend Sucre was there almost like Sam Wise in "Lord of the Rings" going "there is some good in the world [Mr. Bolivar] and its worth fighting for!"

All of these are wonderful additions in the story, but also backed up by a large amount of footnotes in the back of the book.

Those who like good literature, those who like history, and those who want to learn more about South America would find something special about this book.

I highly recommend this book, and hope that you enjoy dashing off on adventures around the world with Bolivar and the cast as I did while reading this book.