Customer Reviews

The Dominican Republic: A National History

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This book is an excelent example of clear and concise writing about a country.I must say that the English version is lighter, easier to read. The Spanish version is a must but the author knew best and improved the book by making it more fun to read in English. I highly recommend this book for anybody who wishes a clear understanding of the Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic, A National History, by Dominican prominent historian Frank Moya Pons is the best history of the Dominican Republic available in English today. Based on the 10th edition of the widely acclaimed Manual de Historia Dominicana, by the same author, this is an entirely new book intended for English speaking audiences. It contains maps, index, and a thorough, commentated bibliography of more than 750 items. It is also the first general academic history of the Dominican Republic published in the United States since Sumner Welles's Naboth Vineyard, in 1928. A must read to understand the contemporary events in that country.

An excellent book for anybody curious about Dominican history and politics. I was particularly interested in how Moya Pons shed light on regional politics/rivalries, caudillo politics, and the never ending battle between pure democracy and military backed political factions. I was also amazed at the political instability that existed in the pre-trujillo era and how this instability devastated the Dominican economy. Moya Pons' interpretation of Dominican history is both accurate and informative. I highly recommend this book.

The Dominican Republic, A National History, by Dominican prominent historian Frank Moya Pons is the best history of the Dominican Republic available in English today. Based on the 10th edition of the widely acclaimed Manual de Historia Dominicana, by the same author, this is an entirely new book intended for English speaking audiences. It contains maps, index, and a thorough, commentated bibliography of more than 750 items. It is also the first general academic history of the Dominican Republic published in the United States since Sumner Welles's Naboth Vineyard, in 1928. A must read to understand the contemporary events in that country.

"Frank Moya Pons is the best-known contemporary Dominican historian. The author of many books and articles, he is a recognized scholar both at home and abroad. Moya Pons latest book is based on his well-known Manual de historia dominicana (1992), now in its tenth edition and considered a basic text in Dominican historiography. But his new book is more than a simple translation of the old classic; it is a revised and expanded edition, with new sections, detailed historical maps, and a comprehensive bibliographic essay.

The book follows two parallel historical tracks. On the one hand, it is divided into thematic chapters that examine the distinct political periods in the country's history, such as the Spanish, French, Haitian, and U.S. occupations and the several periods of self-rule. On the other hand, it pursues a socioeconomic history by establishing links, when pertinent, between socioeconomic conditions and political developments. Another notable feature of the book is that it examines contemporary events up to 1990. This remains the standard Dominican history textbook, in both English and Spanish. The general reader will find in this book an agreeable, clearly written history of the Dominican Republic, while the experienced scholar will find an indispensable reference."
-HAHR (Hispanic-American Historical Review)

Dominican writer Frank Moya Pons presents great insight into the historical, economical and political conditions of the Dominican Republic in a clear and concise way.

A must own for any proud Dominican seeking knowledge on their country's turbulent but exciting history, and a great addition to anybody who wants to indulge themselves in the rich heritage and legacy of this Beautiful country. I strongly recommend it!!!

Book is great. Delivery was horrible! And I still had to pay for it. I'm really disappointed because I needed the book right away and had to wait for it. I didn't receive any notification from Amazon that it wasn't in stock until I went hunting for an answer as to where my book was. Pretty disappointed, my assignment was late.

As the only comprehensive history of the DR, you have little choice. However, if you actually want to know what has happened in the last 20 years, I suggest you look elsewhere. I recently purchased the 2006 edition of this work, shocked to discover history stopped in the early 90's. Rather disappointing.

The book is well documented and is one of the classics in the discovery of America.

There are typos and occassionally the author lets out his biased opinions...that have a touch of racism.

I am personally grateful to the author for this documentation especially since my anscestors were part of the founding and landing parties of the Americas.