Puerto Rico Books

Puerto Rico: Encanto Oculto Beautifully done book. i purchased this book as a birthday gift and once it was open the pictures are so vivid and luminiating that you can not help but continue turn to the next page Great piece of Work...........

I had the privilege to meet Karenlie, the author/photographer, when we were both younger and in grade school. Her work is fantastic-- you can't help but feel your chest tighten as you flip the pages of this book, great photo after great photo, amazing, emotional. Buy this book. It will grace your coffee table, turn into the favorite conversation starter, make you want to take picture road trips of your own! Congratulations, Karenlie, for this significant GIFT to Puerto Ricans all over the world.

The photography alone will be worth the cost of this book, but if you are planning a trip to Puerto Rico, you definitely will want to purchase this book to find those enchanting, out of the way places to visit so you can experience this country as much more than just a tourist.

This is a wonderful book. This book is great for all ages. The book deals with many issues which are important for children to start dealing with. The book also stirs a love for the game. I highly recommend it!

I enjoyed it cause I found out more about Roberto Clemente.

A well-written, almost poetically spare introduction to the life of Roberto Clemente. Starts with his life of poverty in Puerto Rico to his climb to the top of the major leagues. Ends with Mr. Clemente's untimely death in an airplane crash when he was transporting relief supplies to earthquake victims. Illustrations capture the feel of the times and experiences as well as the excitement of the sports action. This excellent picture book will introduce another generation to a real hero. Karen Woodworth Roman, Librarians.info

I baught this book for my daughter who will be four years old in August and she loves it.

This is a GREAT read-aloud book. My 6-year-old has read along with me each night since we've had it. From the SQUEEEEEEAK of the door to the WAAAAAHs and WOOFs and OINKs - it''s impossible for the kids to refrain from joining in the telling of this tale. Wonderful illustrations tell more of the story than is written in the text. I highly recommend this book.

I admit to being astonished that no one's done a review of this marvelous picture book yet. The Squeaky Door is a delightful addition to the collection of folktales from around the world that have been put into picture book form by the remarkable Margaret Read MacDonald.It is also one of the best read-alouds I have discovered this year. Ms. MacDonald is a storyteller and folklorist as well as an author, and many of her stories come from those she has heard and told over the years.

The framework of the tale is simple. Little Boy is staying over Grandmas, and gets to sleep in the big brass bed by himself. But all it takes is aformentioned squeaky door to ruin a good night's sleep. Grandma tries to help by bringing various animals in to stay in the bed with him. First the cat, then the dog, then the pig and finally, the horse. This growing menagerie finally overloads the bed--and it breaks. And Grandma finally takes care of that squeaky door. What makes this work so well, is the magic of the words. Everything is written to be read aloud and easily falls into a rythym that the audience will catch onto quickly. Most lines are repeated several times throughout the book, guaranteeing that children can join in with the words after the first or second repetition. As the title says, the book sings--even a reader not particularly adept at reading books aloud should be able to read this without too much trouble. The words remain fairly simple, and the story straight forward, but hilarious. It's a good read for children 3 to 6 years old. For older children, the best approach may be asking them to join in on Little Boy's responses to Grandma each time.

Then there are the pictures created by Mary Newell DePalma. The pictures are crafted to complement the text, with smaller images being placed on the pages with text and full page illustrations used for the sound effects of the door squeaking or the noises of Little Boy and the various animals. The illustrations for the door squeak gradually get larger and larger until they overtake the entire two page spread by the end. The pictures really add to the overall mood of the story and the hilarity of so many animals in the bed with Little Boy. While a large audience will appreciate what's going on, they may miss some of the more amusing details that an up close read reveal. My particular favorite is the cat tucked into bed with an eye mask on, but the horse in pyjamas is worth a chuckle too. Overall, this is a book with images that can work for a large audience, but can offer a one-on-one reader the advantage of discoveries with closer inspection.

For parents, librarians and teachers with young children to read to, I can't recommend this book highly enough. It is likely best for the 3 to 6 age group as it's a bit long for younger children and may not keep the attention of older children as well. If you like this picture book, you may want to check out "Little Rooster's Diamond Button" and "Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur!" also folktales retold by Margaret Read MacDonald. Here's hoping this book finds it's way into many bookshelves in the future!

Happy Reading!^_^ Shanshad

Yes Angel Manuel! Excellent review. This was my experience reading the book to a tee. Sanchez's historical account of the political influence of the Puerto Rican community was a perfect tool to demonstrate the dynamic nature of power. Absolutely convincing! A great read.

PARADES AND POWER:
THE BORICUAN ODYSSEY
This new book traces the sources of Puerto Rican
striving and setbacks in New York and elsewhere.
By Bienvenido Ruiz
City Limits WEEKLY #594 (July 2, 2007)

Boricua Power: A Political History of Puerto Ricans in the United States; By José Ramón Sánchez; NYU Press; $24.

On a sunny Sunday last month, thousands embraced the 50th National Puerto Rican Day Parade as a celebration of their heritage and a moment of pride and visibility. It was the prime occasion for politicians, celebrities, corporations and assorted public figures to display - and claim the rewards of - their "solidarity" with this community. Besides its high profile and sheer numbers, this event is a yearly New York City milestone for bringing attention to the myriad conflicts between Puerto Ricans and the city's powerful.

Again this year, the media recorded an aftermath of controversy: how many Fifth Avenue buildings were barricaded from the crowd; how many people were arrested, and for what; whether the police wrongfully targeted young people for wearing this or that (supposedly gang-related) t-shirt; how people watching a parade could be accused of "unlawful assembly"; and whether there were "wilding" incidents to report, as in past years.

The unfortunate conflicts following this exceptional moment of visibility reflect, in a way, the history of Puerto Ricans in the U.S. Although this group has had a long and prominent history in New York dating back to the 19th century, its history of struggle to find a place in American society is complex and still poorly understood. The socioeconomic statistics are easier to interpret, and they point unequivocally to chronic disadvantage: Puerto Ricans still suffer much higher than average poverty and unemployment rates, as well as lower income and education levels. Social scientific studies have focused considerable attention on stateside Puerto Rican communities, but the search for explanations of their disadvantage has yielded fragmentary, even contradicting conclusions. As result, a coherent account of what makes this group socially vulnerable has not emerged.

In a literature dominated by sociological and cultural studies, one relatively neglected aspect of the Puerto Rican community's history is its political influence as means to improve their living conditions. In his new book, "Boricua Power," José Ramón Sánchez offers an innovative perspective on this group as an active player in its own social history. This study fills an important gap by presenting a cogent and historically rich account of community empowerment in the intellectual tradition of political economy.

The term "boricua" derives from Borikén, the indigenous name for the main island of Puerto Rico - also known in Spanish as Borinquen. This self-identification is increasingly popular among Puerto Ricans in the rest of America, although the word is yet to turn up in English dictionaries. Like the terms Latina/o and Chicana/o, community activists began adopting the name for many of their organizations in the 1960s to raise group consciousness, and in opposition to more "Eurocentric" terms. By calling themselves boricuas, Puerto Ricans proudly use their vernacular to gain a measure of control over their own identity.

The book's approach is scholarly. Sánchez, an associate professor of political science and chair of urban studies at Long Island University, elaborates a novel understanding of power (political and otherwise), using the history of Puerto Rican political influence as supporting evidence for his theory. The concept of power developed here is dynamic and multidimensional. Power is about action rather than position or possession; it is about actors whose mutual relationship is never static but rather in constant flux. And it is also relational, since influence can be exercised but not held like some inanimate object. The author relies on dancing as a key metaphor for the reciprocity of power relationships: rather than coercing one another, real life social actors engage in partnerships that are potentially of mutual benefit. The "dance of power" image reminds us that mutual interests are at the root of any relationship, even in domination, since "power originates in the passions and interests of social interaction."

The political history of the Puerto Rican community illustrates how an ethnic group interacts with interested partners on the dance floor of the urban political economy. In its hundred-year-long history in New York, Puerto Ricans have seized (and lost) a surprising range of opportunities to improve their status. Sánchez focuses on three particular historical periods. The first starts in the interwar years, when a large proportion of Puerto Rican workers were employed as cigar makers. In the 1920s, these workers enjoyed organizational success and had gained unusual control over their working conditions. Outside the workplace, cigar makers spearheaded the proliferation of political clubs and other institutions that brought influence to their ethnic community. Their power derived from the high value of their artisanship in the labor market. However, the rare skills that once attracted employers were of no use later when tobacco firms reconfigured their production operations to counterbalance the cigar makers' ability to strike and organize. After losing jobs as cigar makers, Puerto Ricans shifted to other industries, working at jobs with lower skills and wages. By the 1930s, the changes were felt in the whole community, which became more impoverished, more vulnerable to competition from other immigrant workers, and less able to mobilize.

The second period coincides with that of greatest Puerto Rican immigration, between 1945 and 1965. After World War II, New York's Puerto Rican workers benefited from their participation in Democratic machine politics and from their involvement in labor unions. However, the municipal reform movement of the 1950s weakened the patronage system that formerly secured social policies favorable to ethnic workers. Mass migration also contributed to decline in economic influence, as immigrant Puerto Rican workers were relegated to cheap and plentiful labor. According to Sánchez, the 1950s is also characterized by a development of cultural and political nationalism within the community, and this inward orientation did not help to arouse the interests of American society at large.

In this section, the author also presents a lucid account of the political roots of mass migration that could be particularly appealing to students of Puerto Rican history, or of migration itself. The social scientific literature does not offer a consensus about what led to such unprecedented levels of out-migration from the island, nor for its high concentration in New York City. In arguing that the factors producing migration increases "were driven by politics and policy," Sánchez details the coordinated moves made by 1950s political bosses, both in Puerto Rico and stateside. For example, mass migration fit into the broad industrial development plan implemented in the island by the state and federal governments, as well as into New York mayors' interest in renewing labor resources for the city's declining light industries. The mid-century period is crucial because the loss of influence sets up the long term misfortunes of Puerto Ricans in the U.S. (particularly in the wake of deindustrialization) that continue to this day. There are lessons here for those interested in the social consequences of the current immigration policy regime, and of mass migration driven by the twin forces of industrialization abroad and post-industrial labor market segmentation in the U.S.

The third important moment of power shifts occurred in the late 1960s and 1970s. A brief surge in local Puerto Rican influence was spurred by highly visible, radical protests, epitomized by the Young Lords, an activist organization that did not shy away from direct confrontation with the police or other powerful institutions to advocate for the urgent needs of Puerto Ricans. The fallout of this movement was, however, increased cultural and social distance between this group and the dominant white majority. According to Sánchez, this media-enhanced confrontational style contributed to loss of interest in this group, and thus to a legacy of political marginalization. The Puerto Rican community was left with few compelling dance partners.

In comparing these periods, the book illustrates how each historical moment affords its own opportunities to "dance," and also unique challenges. However, each moment of Puerto Rican empowerment was followed by a decline in influence, and the recurring pattern of defeats presents a problem for the dance theory of power. If their "record of organizing and institution-building has been impressive," why does the long-term balance of power remain negative for Puerto Ricans? Could this be due to the contingencies of bad dance partner choices? If power is continuously created, why have other groups arrived at a seemingly permanent position of advantage? How could the clout of unions in the 1920s, political sponsors in the 1950s, or media visibility in the 1970s have been translated to more permanent Boricua empowerment? The author's theory is effective in dissecting the shifts and sociohistorical context of power, but less successful in explaining the persisting downward trend over the longer term.

Other theoretical perspectives, like Marxian or race theory, could reasonably claim that the repeated losses are symptomatic of the larger "structures" of power. For instance, the ultimate dismissal of Puerto Ricans' bids to dance could derive from the weakness of their class position as immigrant wage laborers, or from their status as non-white or colonial subjects. Even so, those views of domination/subordination fall short of accounting for an event where the powerful literally parade down the Upper East Side alongside the proud Puerto Rican crowd. By contrast, Sánchez's closer look at the workings of power does provide insights into such displays of mutual attraction from both sides of the power equation. Besides correcting some real shortcomings of broader political theories, his thesis is also a contribution that invites further comparative and historical research on other social groups, locations and times.

Bienvenido Ruiz was born in Puerto Rico, lived in New York, and is completing his PhD in sociology at Northwestern University in Chicago. His research focuses on Latino communities, inequality and immigration.

The benefit for an understanding of musical politics, for standards of performance, for audience civility and for musicology in general, has been incalculable, and it is hard to see how existing standards in any of these fields can be maintained, much less improved without continuous and patient prodding and the occasional outpouring of bile from such a source. Let music lovers, makers,administrators and editors, all please take note! " Concert Life in Puerto Rico" is therefore valuable for use and imporvement but also for pleasure. Who can resist a book that contains cracks like, "the orchestra sounded like a faulty zipper," or that compares the first act of Tosca to La Boheme played backwards?!

The benefit for an understanding of musical politics, for standards of performance, for audience civility and for musicology in general, has been incalculable, and it is hard to see how existing standards in any of these fields can be maintained, much less improved without continuous and patient prodding and the occasional outpouring of bile from such a source. Let music lovers, makers,administrators and editors, all please take note! " Concert Life in Puerto Rico" is therefore valuable for use and imporvement but also for pleasure. Who can resist a book that contains cracks like, "the orchestra sounded like a faulty zipper," or that compares the first act of Tosca to La Boheme played backwards?!

This study of Puerto Rican installation art is surely a definitive work which no future student or critic of the field could afford to ignore. But more strikingly it is also a wonderfully insightful guide for the layman, short on jargon and richly informative. Each artist presented here comes to life for the reader in a way that makes us all the more interested in the art. The art itself is described and explicated in lively, vivid and elegant prose. And Ms. Roulet offers a thorough overview and sensitive analysis of the unique Puerto Rican-American relationship that provides the context necessary to understand this fascinating body of work.

Laura Roulet takes Puerto Rico art history out of its time warp in more ways than one. Puerto Rican Art history books tend to be dull surveys, tributes or recycled manifestations of the "nationalistic" interpretation of Puerto Rican art. They are all broad brush. By choosing a few installation artists, Roulet is the first to write a book that explores this vibrant segment of Puerto Rico's art world.

Roulet's crisp focus deepens the level of analysis of the art and artists well beyond the usual bland fare. She also brings to bear theories and artists hitherto not discussed in connection with Puerto Rican Art. Among the many benefits of reading the book is that the reader comes out with a more layered understanding of well known artists like Martorel and welcomed interpretative keys to the works of the lesser know artists. One can only hope that it raises the bar for Puerto Rican art critics, most of whom do not know much about installation art.

Roulet carefully mounts her evidence that debunks the unidimensional nationalist school of thought--where art is in the service of reaffirming identity. The book, however, is not polemical but rather a cogent examination of the multiplicity of viewpoints and media that make the nationatilist construct inadequate for these artists. Thus, while others may share Roulet's view that it is time to recognize the limits of the nationalist fraework, her book is the first to provide a concrete example of one of the ways it can be done. Also noteworthy as an example for others is her treatment of highly charged political issues without taking sides or swipes.

Garcia Marquez has said that in the Caribbean everyone knows what has happened before it happens. Yet, this excellent book took Puerto Rico art circles by surprise. A pleasant and refreshing surprise for some of us who do not care to admit that that the island has evolved in ways that we may not so easily understand.

If you want great puertorican recipes, this is the book to buy. Great recipes, it reminds you of grandma's cooking.

This little cookbook is a work of art. As you read the recipes, all taken from San Germán local residents, you begin to get the varied flavors and influences of Puerto Rican foods in general, and local foods western part of the Island in detail. The illustrations are beautifully done, and Mrs. Vivoni's verses are the perfect accompaniment for this work of love. The recipes work, too! They were all tested and quantified. If you don't read Spanish, buy the English version. It's just as good.

Esmeralda Santiago is one of Puerto Rico's natural treasures and one of America's favorite authors.

I'd describe this book as The American Dream, a Coming of Age story and being multi-cultural all in one, but its much more than that! What do I mean? Well, Ms. Santiago's skillful writing and ingenious use of words weave a story that beautifully frames a life from all sides: the 'ugly' is that her family lives in the most dire of circumstances both in Puerto Rico & New York, the 'bad' is that her father is a philander, the 'good' being that she comes from love and is loved. A good foundation to stand on.

Ms. Santiago is able to convey to us exactly how a young girl feels when her father is a philander (cheated and betrayed) and how she feels when her parents are getting along (happy and safe) and how fragile it all seems even through a child's eyes. Her mother's aspirations to live well and to see the beauty which frames all of life's bits and pieces no matter how dire circumstances may seem is the backbone of this story and (I believe) at the heart of Ms. Santiago's storytelling. I received both this book and 'The Turkish Lover' as Christmas gifts and I can tell just by these two books that I will add many more to my collection, the first addition being 'Almost a Woman' which is the next book after this one. Most definitely.

This is a rich and evocative memoir of the author's chaotic childhood. Growing up in rural Puerto Rico, while often living in primitive conditions, the author's lush and lyrical prose paints a vivid picture her early life. The flavor and rythms of her island home come alive under her expert hand, creating an unforgettable picture of her early childhood.

The author grew up in a poor family. During her childhood, she lived in Puerto Rico with her unmarried parents, who were always at war with each other, as her father was a somewhat irresponsible philanderer. It was her mother who centered the family and who always sought a better life for all of her children. When an irrevocable break occurred between her parents, her mother moved to New York during the nineteen sixties, eventually settling with her seven children in the mean streets of Williamsburg, Brooklyn in New York City.

The author details her life's journey from rural Puerto Rico to Brooklyn. The author was transplanted to Brooklyn at the age of thirteen, and her description of her life in Brooklyn is every bit as interesting as that of her life in Puerto Rico. Her oftentimes bewildering transition from her native, Spanish speaking Puerto Rico to an English speaking environment is engagingly chronicled. The author takes the reader on her journey through Brooklyn's public school system to the prestigious High School of Performing Arts, where she graduated and went on to attend Harvard University on a scholarship.

This coming of age memoir is so engagingly written that I was left with the desire of wanting to know more about the life of this remarkable woman. I was also very taken with her writing style. So, I went ahead and bought every book that this author has ever written and look forward to reading each and every one.

High school senior Emily Goldberg has a perfect summer planned, the highlight of which is a cross-country road trip with her two best friends before they head off to separate colleges. But her plans are drastically altered when her maternal grandmother dies suddenly and Emily's family must fly to Puerto Rico to attend the funeral. Emily experiences culture shock when she finds herself in a crowded Catholic church with hundreds of relatives she didn't even know she had, including a cousin her own age named Lucy. When Emily's mother decides to remain in Puerto Rico for the rest of the summer to cope with her grief, Emily can't refuse her father's request that she stay with her. Feeling like an outsider (and the Jew from New York whom cousin Lucy refers to as "the nuyorican,"), Emily intends to quietly suffer through two months in a world so different from her own. But when Emily's mother finally opens up about her long unspoken past, Emily begins to reach out to her new relatives, and discovers the importance of connecting to both sides of her heritage. Emily's voice is authentic and witty, and her thoughts and observations will ring true with teens. Spanish words and phrases pepper the dialogue throughout this engaging novel. Ages 12-16.

It's the summer after her senior year, right before she and her friends split up for college, and Emily Goldberg has plans. A road trip across the country with her best friends, Izzy and Adrienne. Hanging out with her boyfriend, Nate, and maybe figuring out what they're going to do at the end of the summer. But whatever else they may have held, her plans definitely hadn't included standing in a hot, crowded funeral home in a country she'd never been in, at the funeral for a grandmother she'd never met. EMILY GOLDBERG LEARNS TO SALSA is a funny, heartwarming story about family and roots, and how learning about them can teach you about yourself.

Emily's mother is from Puerto Rico, but she'd left for college, met and married Emily's father, and never gone back. Emily's never met her grandmother, or her many aunts, uncles, and cousins, until she's forced to go down to Puerto Rico for the funeral. But at least it's only for a few days...until her mother has some sort of crisis and Emily is forced to stay with her.

Sharing a bedroom with her mother, stuck in a country where she barely speaks the language, and living in her ultra-religious Tia Rosa's house with an impossible set of rules, Emily is not looking forward to the rest of the summer. It doesn't help that her cousin Lucy thinks she's a pampered princess from the mainland, and that her boyfriend back home isn't returning her calls. But readers will laugh as she's thrust into one uncomfortable situation after another. Salsa dancing for a girl with two left feet? Cooking with lard? Driving in a country with no street signs? Emily faces them all, slowly getting dragged out of the safe world she's built for herself and connecting with the family she'd never known she'd missed.

Ostow writes with an authentic teenage voice, in clear and uncluttered prose. Her descriptions of a country unfamiliar to many of her readers will fascinate and intrigue them. Writing with respect for a culture different from that of the United States isn't easy, but Ostow pulls it off with style, drawing on her personal experiences. Recommended for readers looking for a fun and enjoyable read.

Reviewed by: Dena Landon

This is an incredible book for anyone interested in the abolition of slavery.

Christopher Schmidt-Nowara has written an excellent book to understand the process that led to the abolition of slavery in the Spanish colonies in the Caribbean, taking into account the latest developments in Cuban, Puertorrican, and Spanish history. This is an important new viewpoint: to understand the nineteenth-century history of Cuba and Puerto Rico it's necessary to have a fine understanding of Spain's colonial policy and the socio-economic links that these two colonies established with the metropolis. I consider this book a major break through, a very important book for any person interested in the history of the Caribbean, Latin America and/or Spain.