SOURCE: Donghi, Tulio Halperín. “The Old Order and Its Crisis as Theme of Recuerdos de Provincia.” In Sarmiento and his Argentina, edited by Joseph T. Criscenti, pp. 17-34. Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1993.

In the following essay, Donghi analyzes Recuerdos de Provincia, focusing on its intent and themes, while also comparing it to Facundo.

What is the intent of Recuerdos de Provincia?¹ Since its publication, readers have refused to believe what Sarmiento stated in the introduction, that it is addressed “Only to my compatriots.” In fact, it was difficult to take seriously his claim that the presence in Santiago of an agent of the government of Buenos Aires, empowered to seek his extradition (something everyone knew had little prospect of success), represented a threat to his future in Chile. Those readers doubted that this laughable threat could force Sarmiento, already a successful public figure, to repeat the...