Poet and Politician of Puerto Rico : Don Luis Munoz Marin [Library Binding]

Carmen T. Bernier-Grand (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Period photographs enhance an account of the Puerto Rican patriot's achieviements as a poet and as a politician who improved living conditions for Puerto Rico's peasants and achieved commonwealth status for his island.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8?An adequate, rather adulatory biography on the life of Puerto Rico's first elected governor. While the beginning of the book focuses on his personal life and desire to be a writer, the latter part concentrates on his political career and efforts to bring about social and political reform in his native land. The man's life is conveyed clearly and chronologically, although the author does not include the exact years of many events within the text, which could lead to some confusion. On the plus side, the book contains an excellent timeline, good notes, a great appendix, and an interesting afterword that discusses the current status of Puerto Rico. Average-quality black-and-white photos appear throughout. A book that will be of most use to libraries needing more than scant reference information on Mu?oz Marin, especially in areas with large Hispanic populations.?Margaret B. Rafferty, Gwinnett-Forsyth Regional Library, GA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-8. Not only an intriguing biography of Munoz Mari{¡}n, the poet-politician responsible for engineering Puerto Rico's status as a commonwealth of the U.S. and raising living standards for its citizens, this book is also a history of the island during this century and an assessment of the ongoing issue of the country's status. Bernier-Grand capably depicts Munoz Mar{¡}in, who moved easily in both American and Puerto Rican cultures, as an idealistic, romantic figure who struggled for years to reform Puerto Rico and to achieve the best possible resolution to the status question. Her book will be a valuable introduction to an eminent political figure, and it will also raise awareness of the status issue, which will be readdressed by Congress in 1997. Chris Sherman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Library Binding
• Publisher: Orchard Books (NY) (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531087379
• ISBN-13: 978-0531087374
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,494,238 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Carmen T. Bernier-Grand grew up in Puerto Rico. She is the author of several children's books, including "Shake It, Morena" and "Juan Bobo: Four Folktales from Puerto Rico". She lives in Portland, Oregon.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read on the political situation of Puerto Rico, January 11, 1998

By 

Bryan Arroyo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Poet and Politician of Puerto Rico : Don Luis Munoz Marin (Hardcover)

To anyone interested in the genesis and evolution of the political situation of Puerto Rico this book provides a comprehensive and accurate representation of the political struggles of the people of Puerto Rico. The book efficiently and effectively provides enough background on the political history of the Island to accurately portray the situation of Puerto Rico at the turn of the Century. Providing an adecuate frame within which to discuss the aftermath of the Hispano-American War. These accomplishments then provide the proper context to understand the significance of the political figure of Luis Munoz Marin in the present political condition, but more importantly on the political future of Puerto Rico. The period photographs provide the glue that holds this book together. To read of Munoz's concern for the welfare of his fellow countrymen cannot be completely appreciated, but for those pictures despicting the living conditions of the "jibaro." Perhaps one of the most realistic accounts of the struggles of the Puertorrican people through the eyes of one of the political giants of Latin America.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A concise biography of an intriguing individual, November 30, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Poet and Politician of Puerto Rico : Don Luis Munoz Marin (Hardcover)

I am the editor of this book, so perhaps somewhat biased, but I believe it to be an intriguing portrait of Don Luis Munoz Marin, who pushed for Puerto Rico to achieve Commonwealth status and then served as the first governor of the Commonwealth. Not just a politician, he was also a poet, and excerpts from his poetry appear in the book. Since the author, a native of Puerto Rico, sets Munoz Marin's story in the context of his times, this is also an excellent introduction to the history and people of Puerto Rico in the 20th century. There are numerous black and white photographs as illustrations and further information in the back of the book--adults as well as children are likely to find it informative. But you don't have to take my word for it. I've got review quotes and a full-color picture of the jacket on my WWW site at http://www.interport.net/~hdu/munoz.htm