Bolivar: American Liberator

Marie Arana

Drawing on her new biography of the revolutionary leader, novelist and journalist Marie Arana discusses the colourful and dramatic life of Simon Bolivar.  In 1813, he launched a campaign for the independence of Colombia and Venezuela, commencing a dazzling career that would take him across the rugged terrain of South America. From his battlefield victories to his ill-fated brief marriage and legendary love affairs, Bolivar emerges as a man of many facets: fearless general, brilliant strategist, consummate diplomat, passionate abolitionist, and gifted writer.

Marie Arana is a biographer, essayist, novelist, and former editor in chief of Book World at The Washington Post. Currently, she is a guest columnist for the New York Times, Writer at Large for The Post, and Senior Advisor to the US Librarian of Congress. An active spokesperson on Latin America and biculturalism, she is also a specialist on the book industry.

This event is sponsored by the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library and the UCL Institute of the Americas.