6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Vincent Hubbard brings the history of Nevis up to the 21st c, April 22, 2004
This review is from: Swords, Ships and Sugar: A History of Nevis (Paperback)
This edition is a major updating in comparison to the previous edition. The previous edition brought the history of Nevis to 1900, whereas this edition brings the history up to the new millennium, i.e. 2000.
In updating this history the author added a new chapter. Also, in completing the updating he made some additions to the next to last chapter.
A few of the additions to the next to last chapter are: the hospital controversy, the sugar riot of 1936, the Secession of Anguilla, the Christena disaster, and an excellent summary about the current political hot topic of the upcoming possible vote for secession from St. Kitts.
The author is will qualified to write this history. He has lived on Nevis since 1986. In reviewing his educatiional background, he obtained a BA in political science and history at Vanderbilt University. He then earned a JD from the University's School of Law. Since living on Nevis, he has been the Past President of the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society and has served many years as the society's Historian. His vocation is the Director of the Morning Star Holdings, Inc. This vocation has obviously helped him develop much experience and knowledge of the ins and outs of the off shore financial industry. He's made presentations to historical societies throughtout the Caribbean and in the U.S.
The book has an extensive bibliography, an excellent index, and even a glossary of naval terms. The book is evenly balanced with illustrations, maps, and pictures. The book is definitely not another dry history tome but is written in a very readable and entertaining style with lots of first hand antidotes. this means it's hard for the reader to put it down once he/she has started reading it. Anyone from teenager on up will find the book very educational and shoulddevelopa better appreciation ofa lot of history that has occurred there relating to the U.S., U.K. and Europe that has gone unnoticed.
Submitted by Guy Coffee, Librarian Emeritus
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One must study the past, to divine the future-Confucius, January 16, 2004
This review is from: Swords, Ships and Sugar: A History of Nevis (Paperback)
Vanderbilt educated historian, Vincent K. Hubbard, lives on Nevis, a tiny island in the leeward islands of the Caribbean sea. This small book has a treasure-trove of information about this island's life and history. Much happened here. One incident on this island eventually led to Britain's abolition of slavery which was accomplished there several decades in advance before in America. Value of goods generated there surpassed that of all of the 13 continental colonies combined in the 1700's. There are many more gems of information besides these to be found throughout the book. Hubbard uncovers all aspects of this island's life starting from prehistory when the island was inhabited only by lizards and seldom visited by Indians to when europeans came seeking greater fortunes and fought tooth and nail to keep it.
The following excerpt is my mother's favorite about a pirate " who chased down a warship camouflaged as a merchantman...When he came alongside the disguised vessel, he hailed, "Do you surrender?" At that, the warship's gun ports flew open and her cannon were run out. Undaunted, the witty privateer responded, "If you won't surrender, then I will!"
I read this book when I came to Nevis in 2001, in search of geneaological information about Hamiltons, but, once on the island, well, there were so many other things to explore. There are only four very short paragraphs about Alexander Hamilton's life in this book. The Nevis local government meets in the house he was born in and I believe the U.S. state department helps maintain the site.
The importance of this island in world history is summarized in a statement Hubbard provides from another book entitled War and Trade in the West Indies found on the title page of his book: " to ignore the west indies is to get a lopsided and unhistorical view of the mercantilist empire of the eighteenth century."
I loved this book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
