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Cesar Chavez

Autobiography of La Causa

2007
•
Author:

Jacques E. Levy
Foreword by Fred Ross, Jr.
Afterword by Jacqueline M. Levy

Cesar Chavez

The only authorized biography of Cesar Chavez—featuring three reflective essays new to this edition

Cesar Chavez (1927–1993) comes to life in this vivid portrait of the charismatic fighter who boycotted supermarkets and took on corporations, the government, and the powerful Teamsters Union. Jacques E. Levy gained unprecedented access to Chavez and the United Farm Workers in writing this account of one of the most successful labor movements in history—which also serves as a guidebook for social and political change.

One of the heroic figures of our time.

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Senator Robert F. Kennedy

Mexican-American civil rights and labor activist Cesar Chavez (1927–1993) comes to life in this vivid portrait of the charismatic and influential fighter who boycotted supermarkets and took on corporations, the government, and the powerful Teamsters Union. Jacques E. Levy gained unprecedented access to Chavez and the United Farm Workers in writing this account of one of the most successful labor movements in history-which also serves as a guidebook for social and political change.

Cesar Chavez

Jacques E. Levy (1927–2004), a prize-winning journalist, spent six years with Cesar Chavez researching and writing this book.

Cesar Chavez

One of the heroic figures of our time.

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Senator Robert F. Kennedy

An exceptionally interesting and intimate oral history. Against a background of motels and all-night cafés and strikes, the high relief in which the characters stand out is truly fascinating. Jacques Levy’s biography of Chavez has unforgettable descriptive passages and fine photographs.

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The Nation

The books begins as a biography of Chavez, describing his boyhood and early adult life; but as Chavez becomes totally involved in the farm workers movement, the perspective broadens and the book becomes an exhaustively detailed history of the United Farm Workers from its inception to early 1975. This unique inside story of the union is highly recommended.

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Library Journal

The definitive work. The book’s major contribution lies in its portrait of the man himself—deeply religious in an almost mystical fashion; a dedicated battler, but not a dedicated hater; a leader who not only will not ask, but will not allow his followers to make the sacrifices he has made. In short, no future book can bet written on La Causa which fails to take account of this seminal work.

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Publishers Weekly