An illuminating intellectual history of Argentina, this book brings the founding fathers of the republic to life, deftly portraying the revolution against Spain in 1810 and its immediate aftermath. The author, who teaches Spanish at Yale, argues that the basic conflict between those who sought a European future for the nation and the rough-and-ready "caudillos" explains a great deal about the state of the nation today.  (ARG08, $25.95)