Peter Chapman’s Bananas (2008) tells the story of how the United Fruit Company pretty much ran Central America for a good part of the 20th century.
A good read that will help explain why “Banana Republics” became the norm in that part of the world. It take a broader look at United Fruit and its many tentacles than The Fish that Ate the Whale.
Read reviews from the New York Times and the L.A. Times.