Haiti: A Shattered Nation

Synopsis

Renowned author Elizabeth Abbott, who lived and wrote in Haiti, begins with the notorious Duvaliers—father and son—and explores their legacy to the present day. In 1803, the enslaved people of Haiti vanquished their French masters after a bloody war which left tens of thousands dead. Since then, the Haitian people have endured more than one corrupt regime that drove millions into exile, cowed those who remained, and tortured hundreds of thousands. In this revised and updated edition, Abbott ably shows how the early dictators' legacy shaped modern Haiti as she traces the repercussions of their actions to the present day, and the disastrous earthquake that shook the world.