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| Author: Peter Chapman
Publisher: Canongate U.S.
Category: Book
List Price: $24.00
Buy New: $14.31
You Save: $9.69 (40%)
New (32) Used (12) from $14.31
Avg. Customer Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 73692
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 272
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.1 x 1
ISBN: 1841958816
Dewey Decimal Number: 338.7634772098
EAN: 9781841958811
ASIN: 1841958816
Publication Date: January 21, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new item. Over 3.5 million customers served. Order now. Selling online since 1995. Order with confidence. Code: B20081006210455T
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| Customer Reviews:
 The Universe according to United Fruit: Today Guatemala, Tomorrow, the World! April 8, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
Chapman's assembled an insightful look at how a corporation gets involved in other countries in the wrong way.
"The Black Hole of Calcutta" April 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
One of the biggest problems people have with history, as evidenced in the reviews through Amazon, is that the facts and story are interesting, but what do they have to do with today? Well, as one great resource states, History is a Weapon (if you know how to use it).
The history of the United Fruit Company is scandalous and interesting, as any quick read of Chapman's "Banana!" can attest. But the strength lies, like most history, in what lessons can be drawn from the past to our current state of affairs today.
In brief, the United Fruit Company began in 1899 as different companies in the banana business converged. Without going into detail or explaining the characters, like Minor Keith or Samuel Zemurray or Eli Black, the United Fruit Company conglomerated most of Central America, especially Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Panama. They spurred many government changes, influenced US policies in the region, played vital roles in the overthrow of Jacobo Arbenez from Guatemala in 1954 and the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 of Cuba. It had a long history of brutal repression of workers rights and openly defied any and all critics with a brazen arrogance that led to its downfall.
"But that was the past." Yes, indeed. But reading Chapman's final chapter, "United Fruit World," one can understand and follow that the legacy of United Fruit remains.
For one, multi-national corporations are now our saviors in the West. We love advertisements, and United Fruit with their "Chiquita" woman and Hollywood shorts, were the first to do this in their heyday. The "social conscious" United Fruit gained in 1972 in Nicaragua after Managua was destroyed by an earthquake, our corporations of today use to show off their "green" credentials or their disdain of sweatshops and on. They crush "fair trade" for "free trade" because they argue "fair" trade only enhances dependence and shelters those "backward" from the real world. We are continuously led awry by this logic but believe in our corporations to the end. He sums it up:
"We continually put ourselves in a position to be surprised. We assume the best, elevate people to pedestals and celebrate their friendship with presidents. We are shocked when it is revealed that we have been 'sold' a lie. Then we get embarrassed and try to forget, as we did with United Fruit."
In short, "bananas cannot go beyond their genes." It is predicted the banana will disappear by 2013, according to Chapman. What is clear however, the United Fruit mentality will not. While this story is standard and lessons can (and have) been drawn from the hegemonic story of United Fruit for decades, it is still a great primer and beginning for those interested. Highly recommended.
From jungle capitalism to neoliberalism March 30, 2008
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
"Bananas: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World" by Peter Chapman is a sardonic history of the archetypal multinational corporation, United Fruit Company. The articulately researched book benefits from Mr. Chapman's decades of interest in the subject, including a student thesis written at the University of Sussex in 1975 and later as a news correspondent based in Central America. Possessing a mature understanding of business and politics, the intelligent and witty British author proves to be a perfect fit for the project; his vivid writing style and thoughtful analysis conveys to us a colorful but vitally important piece of history that is understood to be highly relevant to our contemporary world.
Mr. Chapman discusses how the banana became a consumer staple and cultural symbol due to United Fruit's masterful coordination of its massive production, marketing and distribution systems. Mr. Chapman recounts the exploits of the company's founders and their numerous adventures in power politics both in Central America and in the U.S., laying bare a particular form of capitalism where the company and state repeatedly colluded against the interests of the working class and was not reluctant to use violence when necessary. We learn how United Fruit was a leader in the art of corporate branding to win consumer loyalty. However, as the United Fruit's extreme labor practices drove its peasant laborer into desperation and rebellion, the U.S. government turned against the company and helped lay the groundwork for its demise.
In the Epilogue, Mr. Chapman brilliantly connects the "jungle capitalism" that was exemplified by United Fruit with the neoliberalism of today. Mr. Chapman explains that United Fruit insisted on low taxes and deregulation, exploited its labor force, abused its environmental resources, insinuated itself with the politically powerful and falsely proclaimed its social responsibility well before others recognized these tactics to be so-called corporate best practices. The author astutely concludes that as globalization has taken hold in the post-Cold War era, the Banana Republic way of life has increasingly become the norm, with profound consequences for us all.
I highly recommend this entertaining and engaging book to everyone.
Not afraid to name names March 12, 2008
6 out of 13 found this review helpful
Chapman is definitely not afraid to name names. The only reason I figure he is still alive is that the Secret Government realizes few will read the book or even care. Indeed, this is exactly why I gave this terrific book a mere 4 stars. Like all the rest, it will not make the future one bit of difference. Yet, this brief volume is a fascinating indictment of unbridled capitalism and governmental interference. The banana itself represents wealth and it is not wise to stand between wealth and those who crave the wealth. The tenuous biological status of the banana is also fascinating. Do not expect Chapman's book to be included in the No Child Left Behind reading list.
 History in a banana peel March 11, 2008
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
I wholeheartedly agree with Nunn in his/her review of the book, and very much disagree with Pasta. I lived in Latin America for 17 years and the book was like deja vu. I especially loved the way that Mr. Chapman tied all the links together. A lot of things that I had a hunch about suddenly made a lot of sense! It is a very "readable" book as my high school students will attest to. It enabled them to see globalization through a different lens. Hopefully, some college professors will include it on their courses. A very worthwhile read that makes for very interesting comment and discussion.
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