It is a pleasure to share information about a just-published book on El Salvador, Stories We Could Tell: Preserving the Historical Memory of El Salvador, by Andrés McKinley. The book presents a concise history of the struggle for justice in El Salvador in the period circa 1978-92. The middle section — the heart of the book — is comprised of sixteen first-person ‘memorias’ (including my own), compiled and edited by Andrés, that bring his history alive, relaying in a direct and intimate way the lived-experiences of people who were participants in this struggle. 

The impulse for the book is a concern by many in El Salvador, and internationally, to preserve and share this profound historical experience in the face of concerted efforts by those in power today to obscure—even deny—this history, and to demonize those who made it. This is a stunning and important book that will be of interest to folks long-committed and engaged in social movements. Hopefully the book can also be brought to the attention of a new generation who do not know this history, or are aware of it only barely as a shadow of the past, and who would benefit from being introduced to it in such a direct and personal way. 

Order here

[Born in the United States, Andrés McKinley has spent his life involved in programs for sustainable development, environment and human rights in Africa, Latin America and the United States. For the past 48 years his work has focused on Central America, residing in El Salvador. He is the author of six books, including his memoirs from El Salvador, For the Love of the Struggle, published by Daraja Press in 2021, available here].