Customer Reviews

Puerto Rico in the American Century: A History since 1898

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Ayala and Bernabe have written a top-notch synthesis of Puerto Rican history. They combine political history with social and economic developments, always with an eye to the unusual relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States. There is a lot of cultural history in here as well. They are fair to all of the players in the "status question" that has so dominated Puerto Rican politics and history.

The book is definitely written by intellectuals for university use, but it would be a good start for anyone interested in Puerto Rican history.

To a certain extent, Ayala and Bernabé have achieved something seemingly impossible: connecting the varied historical strands of the carpet of the Puerto Rican social formation by providing a theoretical frame of reference that helps give sense to the discrete parts. If the tendency in the last years among Puerto Rican intellectuals has been a fragmented vision, pessimistic and iconoclastic of our historical, cultural economic and political life, Ayala and Bernabé provide a peak into another way of imagining ourselves.

Covers all the bases wonderfully, covers various social/artistic/cultural/economic factors that made Puerto Rico what it is today. I got a bit sleepy in parts, in its completeness the authors lack some flair. Worth reading before going to PR.

This period in Puerto Rican history is in the "lets forget it happened" category. I loved this book, and read it in three days. All the street names came to life, Generally fair and not burdened with opinion, and the cultural history shows that Puerto Rico is well into the mainsream of literary and artistic development. I have lived in PR for six years now, and have talked to many people. My conclusions from these conversations were that nothing happened between 1898 and around 1950 apart from the Mayaguez earthquake. They could make good use of this excellent book.

This really put into perspective the history of Puerto Rico, and it's political culture. However, I did feel the book was a little biased in representing Puerto Rico as a "victim" of capitalism and imperialism. Otherwise, although this is not a complete work of history, it is still an excellent overview of Puerto Rico's dreams, plight, and current dilemma.

The history of every country is exciting and worthy of study. Puerto Rico's particularly so.

It's First American century began in in 1898, when through no fault of its own it was conquored by United States forces. It went from an ignored Spanish colony discovered by Colombus in 1502 to a shaky alliance with a more powerful United States.

No wonder its history has been so complex. There have been many misteps and many fruitful successes along the way. But Puerto Ricans are a valiant and resourceful people. They created one of the most democratic areas in Latin America and made significant contributions to their island and to the United States in a number of fields. Its relative stable economy and growing middle class is the envy of many in Latin America.

The question of Puerto Rican status, should it be independent, a state or continue as a "commonwealth" still bubbles under the surface. Many referenda have been held. Normally 48 percent vote for statehood, 48 percent vote for the existing commonwealth status and less that 3 percent for independence.

Cesar J. Ayala and Rafael Bernabe have written a seriouos study. (Some of the data appeared previously in Spanish.) This volume is balanced in his presentation of the various political and social trends that continue to buffet the small island.

Their style is scholarly and their facts are accurate. Destined I assume for a university audience, it will be well received. I wish they would have written for a boarder audience and captured some of the island's color. They do drone on. So much more could have been chronicled. But ... it is still a worthy read.

Dr. Mellander has a Ph. D. in Latin American History and was an academic dean at a university in Puerto Rico.

Facts about the beginning of the 20th century Puerto Rico related no ones cares to write. Full of facts and evolving events that mask our history.