There are four ‘books’ in this work, corresponding roughly to the four centuries from the arrival of Columbus to the construction of the Panama Canal. Their titles tell the themes: the Golden Age; the Silver Age; the Age of Enlightenment and the Age of Liberty. According to Professor Gustavo Bell, historian and former Vice-President of Colombia, Arciniegas broke with the traditional nationalistic perspectives of Hispanic American historians by incorporating the Caribbean into the long history of the West, as an integral part of the violent expansion of the Judeo-Christian world that began with the arrival of Columbus. As such, Caribbean: Sea of the New World takes its place as one of the earliest expressions of a Pan-Caribbean intellectual and political consciousness. Today, the book remains a genuine New World literary and historiographical classic
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Book Description
First published in 1946, one year after the Spanish original Biografía del Caribe, Germán Arciniegas’ Caribbean: Sea of the New World has been described as ‘a breathtaking and magisterial work, encompassing four centuries of history of the Caribbean basin in its broad sweep.’ For Arciniegas, the Caribbean Sea was the Mediterranean of the New World, ‘a place of fertile and dramatic encounter of peoples, races, religions and cultures’. Today we know that region as the Greater Caribbean, El Gran Caribe.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Editorial Reviews
Review
"Book which can paint as gigantic a panorama as this and at the same time tell such whacking good story -- San Francisco Chronicle
"Sometimes mocking, sometimes deeply stirred, our poet-historian has told a colorful and troubled story... -- The New York Times
"A book which can paint as gigantic a panorama as this and at the same time tell such a whacking good story is a rarity not to be missed." -- San Francisco Chronicle
"Sometimes mocking, sometimes deeply stirred, our poet-historian has told a colorful and troubled story, but the last creature to come out of his Caribbean Pandora's box of troubles is a winged hope." -- The New York Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
"Sometimes mocking, sometimes deeply stirred, our poet-historian has told a colorful and troubled story... -- The New York Times
"A book which can paint as gigantic a panorama as this and at the same time tell such a whacking good story is a rarity not to be missed." -- San Francisco Chronicle
"Sometimes mocking, sometimes deeply stirred, our poet-historian has told a colorful and troubled story, but the last creature to come out of his Caribbean Pandora's box of troubles is a winged hope." -- The New York Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
About the Author
About German Arciniegas: Germán Arciniegas (1900-1999), Colombia University and Minister of National Education of the Republic of Colombia, was the author of numerous books including The Knight of El Dorado.
About Norman Gervan: Norman Gervan, University of the West Indies and president of the Association of Caribbean States. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A History Still Unfolding,
By
This review is from: Caribbean Sea of the New World (Hardcover)
I cannot praise this book enough. The 400+ pages of the paperback version (I'm looking for a good hardcover version to keep as a reference) are eminently readable. The translation of Arciniegas' original Spanish version is almost seamless, only very occasionally using somewhat less than common verbiage. The translation carries forward the color, grace and pure fun of the original work as well if not better than any other translation I have read.The subject matter begins with a theme that the author carries throughout the book, that of a comparison of the Mediterranean, sea of the old world, with the Caribbean, sea of the new world. Beginning with Columbus and continuing through the revolutionary period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The author focuses on the region enclosed by the northern area of South America, Central America and the southern reaches or North America. He traces the European exploration and settlement of the region, providing insightful views of the characters and motivations behind many of the events and drives. Examples include the search for El Dorado, the Fountain of Youth, the buccaneers and pirates, the settlement of Louisiana, the slave revolts, the Darien disaster and eventual drive for independence from European colonialism. Clearly, with a scope so large the author has not been able to present a deep study of any of the subjects, but the history is written is such an engaging manner that the reader cannot help but feel immersed in the material. The bibliography is a gold mine of sources broken down by chapter as well as period and provides an ample resource for further study. Add to that the fact that this book is indexed and you have a scholarly reference as well as a wonderfully entertaining read. P-)
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviews from the New Republic and Commonweal,
This review is from: Caribbean: Sea of the New World (Paperback)
This book is a new edition of the most beautifully written history of the Caribbean from the European discovery through the ninteenth century.Reviews of the 1946 edition:"Arciniegas has written a most informative and entertaining book...the student of political and social morals will find in it much to ponder." ~Commonweal "Senor Arciniegas has a flair for bits of colorful detail and the kind of gossip which makes history come alive. Not the least of the book's virtues are a series of thumbnail biographies of such figures as Amerigo Vespucci, Raleigh, Toussaint, Miranda, Lafitte, William Walker and de Lessep." ~The New Republic
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