“. . . [T]his is both an interesting reflection on the dilemmas of contemporary society and our place in it and an essential exploration of the endless
complications of Guatemala.” — Jim Handy, Hispanic American Historical Review
“Reckoning . . . is hauntingly beautiful, raising provocative questions, analytic complexities, and fascinating interconnections. It convincingly captures what it means to question assumptions, to challenge what we know, as it shows us some of the myriad ways that Guatemalans make sense of violence, loss, and the future.” — Jennifer Burrell, PoLAR
“. . . Nelson has given us a challenging, rich, creative text, remarkable for the ends, and beginnings, that it generates.” — Emily Yates-Doerr, e-misférica
“[A] lively, compassionate, provocative exploration of experience in postwar Guatemala. Reckoning makes an important contribution to understanding
contemporary Guatemala and provides deep insights into the human political/social psychological condition.” — Norman B. Schwartz, Current Anthropology
“[A] unique, powerful vision of Guatemala today. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.” — C. Hendrickson, Choice
“[Nelson’s] elaborate account provides detailed information on important persons, events, and diverse social units, including Maya communities, NGOs, political parties and organizations, the Guatemalan state, the United States and other foreign powers. Her account of salient events that occured during this period reveal her profound and detailed knowledge of recent history in Guatemala, and this alone makes the book invaluable for anyone interested in recent developments in that effervescent country.” — Robert M. Carmack, The Americas
“The struggle to understand violence is a consuming task for many around the globe. Diane M. Nelson articulates stunning insights into the problem of understanding the violence in Guatemala and, by extension, our whole world of war and structural harm.” — Catherine A. Lutz, editor of The Bases of Empire: The Global Struggle against U.S. Military Posts