The education of a liberator -- Introduction : Bolívar and Washington -- A young man seeks his destiny, 1783-1806 -- Stirrings of independence, 1807-10 -- Struggling for independence -- Disasters for the foolish Fatherland, 1811-12 -- Victories from Mompox to Araure, 1812-13 -- Spain's reconquest of its colonies -- Boves and royalist resurgence, 1814-15 -- Regrouping in Jamaica, 1815-16 -- From optimism at Aux Cayes to disaster at Ocumare, 1816 -- Frustration from Jacmel to Guayana, 1816-17 --

Patriot resurgence, Spanish collapse -- From frustration on the llanos to victory at Boyac, 1818-19 -- Armistice : joining with San Martín to turn the tide, 1820-21 -- Delirium over Manuela and Chimborazo, 1822 -- Final triumph in Peru, 1823-25 -- Political failure to postmortem glory -- Trying to hold Gran Colombia together, 1825-28 -- Political decline and death, 1828-30 -- From demagogue to demigod.