Читать книгу Lope de Aguirre, Hugo Chávez, and the Latin American Left - Alfredo Ignacio Poggi - Страница 4

My expedition, with Aguirre, through the Latin American anti-imperialist imagination would not have been possible without the intellectual guidance of Dr. Verónica Salles-Reese. Since I began this adventure four years ago, lost in a jungle of uncertainties, Dr. Salles-Reese helped me to build a critical boat in which to navigate the rivers of cultural studies and overcome the obstacles posed by such a voyage. I also want to thank Dr. Gwen Kirkpatrick and Dr. Rolena Adorno for their support, kindness, and trust when I was assembling the theoretical equipment for my explorations.

Likewise, I am grateful for the collaboration and advice of my great friend Nicholas Collura. With his incredible literary sensibility, Nicholas helped me to achieve the clear and fluent English embodied in this work.

I want to express my gratitude to Nicolette Amstutz, Jessica Tepper, Lara Hahn, and the entire team from Lexington Books for believing in my project. Journeying with my first book through the world of publishing has been pleasant and enriching thanks to their kindness and expertise.

Thanks to the soldiers on my ship: my professors and colleagues at Georgetown University and the University of North Georgia. They helped me to paddle when the waters were cloudy and reaffirmed that cooperation enriches us much more than competition does. After all, we are all in the same boat.

I thank all my friends who were with me during the writing of this book. They fortified me with new ideas and helped to forestall any readers’ rebellions.

Thank you to my parents for instilling in me an intellectual curiosity, existential humility, and desire to strive for a better world. For their unconditional love throughout this process, I also thank my brother, Luis, another intellectual adventurer whom I much admire; Malex; my godchildren Sofi and Nico; and my uncles, cousins, and family-in-law.

Thanks to my dear wife Denisse, my “Doña Inés,” for supporting me at all times, even when the hostility of the jungle began to take its toll upon the boat and the illusion of El Dorado seemed to fade away. Thanks to my sons Mateo, Daniel, and Gabriel; they too are part of this expedition.

Finally, I thank God for helping me along the way with time and resources. It is a blessing to be able to dedicate myself to what I love. If I don’t reach El Dorado, I can still say that I’ve enjoyed the adventure.