Customer Reviews

Vieques: A Photographically Illustrated Guide to the Island, Its History and Its Culture

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Vieques en mi Memoria
Vieques: A Photographically Illustrated Guide to the Island, Its History and Its Culture
Vieques una Guía Fotográficamente Ilustrada de la Isla, Su Historia y Su Cultura (Spanish Edition)

Prospective buyers may wonder about these two (three) books, so I thought I'd compare them for convenience.

Singer's Vieques: A Photographically Illustrated Guide to the Island, Its History and Its Culture (2004) is well illustrated in color, with text in English*, and depicts the different parts of Vieques with history including the protests leading up to the US Navy's withdrawal form the island. It's primary audience would likely be tourists who have visited and want something to remember the island by; it's not a bad book, but it doesn't get into things in very much depth or with much local perspective. The color photos are nice, but emphasize beaches and historic sites. *There is also a Spanish-language edition, which I haven't seen but apparently is a translation of the English text.

Fabián Maldonado's Vieques en mi memoria: Testimonios de vida (2003) is well illustrated in B&W, with text in Spanish, and presents interviews with 15 individuals who reflect on their and their families' histories on and with the island. It's not on glossy paper, and some of the photos are a bit grainy, but emphasizing the people and their lives on the island it gives more of a sense of the place as a living community, rather than a site to visit. It also includes more historical photographs, although still not as many as I'd really like to see. This is a much better book for those with historical, anthropological, or personal connections and interest in Vieques.

I used another book by Singer for our trip to St. John (USVI) the previous year so I was expecting something as useful and informative as that when I dropped the money on this book. Very disappointing. Everything that the St. John book was, this book on Vieques was not. I suggest you pass on this one.

This detailed book, both in history and photos, lays out exactly what you get and can expect in Vieques. It is perfect for those who need to know everything BEFORE a trip to some off in the distant land. I happened upon the book while on Vieques and chose to purchase it for a keepsake and reminder of all the great places I visited.

i miss vieques, but this book captures it very well.
the photos are brillant and the author really tries to cover some of the rich social/political history.

my only wish is that there was more, more and more inside... kinda like the never-ending book of vieques. for real, i never would have bought a book for myself about a place i visited, but this was a must have and a perfect gift to give too!!

This is a pictorial book about the island, Vieques which is part of Puerto Rico. The pictures are wonderful.

This is a rich book filled with gorgeous photography, detailed history, and cultural details of this often overlooked island. It is hard to classify this work as it is so much more than a coffee table book. It is a love letter to an island.