The first serious biography of Francisco Solano L-pez in English for decades, this richly researched book tells the dramatic story of Paraguay"s most notorious ruler. Despite the heroic stature he gained after his death, L-pez was a monumentally flawed leader who made the disastrous decisions in 1864 and 1865 to invade Brazil and Argentina, initiating the most devastating interstate conflict in South American history. Drawing on a trove of primary sources, James Saeger offers a critical analysis of Paraguayan politics and L-pez"s life and erratic rule in this meticulous study.