Puerto Rico Books

This book was recently republished in paperback as Message in the Flames and should be noted in advertisements to avoid dual purchases. Although identified as book three in the series, it was written as book two.

Good characterization, good setting, and a satisfying read.

In Angustias, Puerto Rico, Sheriff Luis Gonzalo celebrates his twenty-fifth year on the job and practically the whole town is in the village square for the gala. His big moment is interrupted when he see flames burning Pedro Ortiz's home. By the time people arrive to help put the fire out, the abode is aflame. When they are finally enter the arson scene they see Pedro with bullets in his body and his wife with a bullet in her head.

Nobody knows that there was a confrontation earlier between Pedro and two furious killers who demanded one million dollars and the cocaine they hid on his property that he burned. The two thugs look for the money and they don't care who they hurt or kill to et it. When the Metropolitans are called in by the new mayor, Luis doesn't trust them. They try to squeeze him out of the investigation but Angustias is Luis's town and he is not going to let politicians, police or crooks destroy it.

Steven Torres paints such a vivid picture of Puerto Rico that readers will want to go to villages like Angustias. With that picturesque backdrop fans know from the very beginning the identities of the villains but the thrill is in finding the proof of their crimes. The protagonist is a civil servant who cares about his town, his officers and his family and he is not about to let it become a haven for criminals. He is a brilliant investigator who is not afraid to follow his hunches even when it means he is putting his life on the line. This police procedural is a fast-paced, exciting and a very satisfying reading experience.

Harriet Klausner

As a Cuban in Miami reading this book about the Cubans in Puerto Rico, I saw some of myself in it. Although not familiar with the 'Middleman' theory, since I am not a psychologist, as a layman I believe that many of the analyses were accurate. Having relatives living in Puerto Rico and New York, I am familiar with the similarities and interactions between the Cuban and Boricua cultures. They are very similar!! Your observation about Cubans blending into a Boricua cultural environment is accurate. Having walked the streets of Boricua communities in NY and New Jersey, I felt as much at home as in Hialeah, Florida, the nation's most Cuban city. Unfortunately, there are some serious political agenda differences between our two peoples that must be worked out. I find it disheartening to watch Ileana Ros-Lehtinen or Lincoln Diaz-Balart attacking Carlos Rangel or Jose Serrano. Even worse is the walk-out from the Hispanic National Congressional Caucus of these 2 Cuban Yankee congressmen. Their Tejano and Boricua brothers could only watch the disgrace. The whole US Latino community suffers as a result of such political 'embargos'. Thank you, Daniel Pazos

Having read the orginal text of this book ("Los Cubanos en Puerto Rico," published by the University of Puerto Rico Press) I found plenty of interesting information about Cuban exiles and immigrants residing in Puerto Rico. Since both Cuba and Puerto Rico were the last two Spanish colonies in the New World, their histories are closely interwoven with one another. The adoption of the battle flag design both countries use for their national flags, the language, food, and climates illustrate the similarities both islands share with one another. Being related with one another and having a similar oppressor, Cuba and Puerto Rico are the truest sister islands the world has.

Due to events in Cuba, especially the Revolution of 1959, many Cubans immigrated and left their island and many settled in Puerto Rico. The island, as a U.S. Commonwealth offered Cubans security, U.S. citizenship, and an environment where they were able to live the lives they once lived in pre-castro Cuba. Unlike Cubans in Miami, Cubans residing in Puerto Rico are less political about what is happening in their island, and many have intermarried with prominent Puerto Ricans families and unified their cultures together. The author does a wonderful job in utilizing statistics, polls, and surveys on attitudes this community has. While many outsiders of Cuban-Puerto Rican politics might not see the relevance of other latino groups moving into other Latino countries, it is still important to know what can go right and wrong in those places, because it will clearly have an effect here in the United States. Places like in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles will see mass immigration of newly emerging Latino groups moving into areas once occupied by another Latino group (e.g. Mexicans moving into New York's Puerto Rican-held "Spanish Harlem"; Nicaraguans moving into Cuban-held Hialeah, Florida; etc.)

Whether you are a great consumer of Bacardi Rum (originally from Cuba the Bacardi family resettled in Puerto Rico), a fan of singer Carlos Ponce (although he is proud of his Puerto Rican roots and culture, his parents are Cuban immigrants), or just want to learn more about Cuban-Puerto Rican relations on the island, this is an excellent book. Although tension between both communities exist somewhat ion the mainland U.S. (mostly due to opinions on the Elian Gonzalez case and the release of Puerto Rican nationalists by president Clinton), it shouldn't be a reason not to read this book. A must have for Latin American history and politics readers/students.

This book summarizes the systematic comedy of errors that has been the United State's dominance over Puerto Rico; perhaps the least publicised of America's abuses towards some of its own (if you care to consider Puerto Ricans as Americans, many of which don't themselves). A must read for any Washington politician who dares to deal with the potentially fractitious (and sometimes fraticidal) subject of Puerto Rico's ultimate status solution.

The profuse details on how the United States' government brought the local Puerto Rican economy to its knees soon after the Spanish American War, how it dealt with the islanders as an afterthought (and still does) and how a small elite of local politicians have turned the discussion on U.S.-Puerto Rico relations into a quagmire, would be dismissed as heavily biased towards the left, if it wasn't so heavily researched. Fernandez has done an excellent job of documenting the true story of U.S.-Puerto Rico relations.

All throughout my school years up until high school, I was bombarded by statements such as, "Puerto Ricans are lazy. They are always on welfare here on the mainland and on foodstamps on the island. That is why the U.S. should not allow Puerto Rico to become a state. They're too dependent."

Little did I know about "neo-colonialism", nor the economic 'development' in Puerto Rico under the direction of the U.S. government. After reading this book, I felt enlightened and, naturally, rather enraged with history. I have read books on all aspects of my culture, while keeping an eye on the economic and political aspects.

Though more and more Puerto Ricans on the island are in favor of statehood, I feel it is important for them to know the history of the island under all the colonial powers (whether Spain or the U.S.).

I thank Ronald Fernandez for all the factual information that he gave. He has opened up my eyes.

Que viva Puerto Rico!

Having just finished this nearly 600 page exhaustive volume on the Economy of Puerto Rico, I must admit that although such an endeavor is well worth the effort, it is not for the faint of heart.

What fascinated me the most about this book was the chapter/essay format in which each of 8 central chapters were written by a separate team of scholars and economists and then subsequently critiqued by at least two scholars with differing viewpoints. In all of my studies across a myriad of subjects, I do not believe I have ever encountered such a brilliant and honest format. If the work was partially sponsored by special interest groups, it does not show. In fact, the often harsh cross-examination and rebuttal of many chapter findings in the comments at the end of each chapter provide the reader with a fair-debate format in which they can reach their own conclusions. Furthermore, because each chapter was written independently, an astute reader can easily filter out individual biases by cross-referencing statistics and developing his/her own complete picture. In other words, the fact that several of the chapters conclusions contradict one another is a good thing because it shows the entire volume was not edited to produce a pre-determined viewpoint or recommendation.

The conclusion chapter does make recommendations that may have some bias (which is why you must read every page of the book), but that bias was not enforced upon the chapter/essay writers or the upon the writers of the chapter critique-comments appearing at the end of each central chapter. This book provides a sufficient quantity of raw information necessary to obtain an unbiased and accurate perspective of the topics covered. By reading, re-reading, cross-referencing and keeping an array of mental variables, it is possible to filter out statistical misrepresentation and editorial bias.

There are 8 central chapters (excluding the introduction and summary) covering the following topics (Economic Growth, Labor Supply and Public Transfers, Low Employment Participation, Education and Economic Development, The Climate for Business Development, Assessing Puerto Rico's Fiscal Policies, Financing Economic Development, and Trade Performance and Industrial Policy).

It is my opinion that this book should be required reading for college students of economics and politic science as it substantially goes beyond the subject of the Economy of Puerto Rico to cover, explain and define an array of economic and political topics as well as statistical principles relevant to the understanding of the wide-range-dynamics of any economy in the world.

The liberal think tank Brookings Institution and the Puerto Rican Center for the New Economy got together to purportedly write a book on the island's economy. In reality, it reads like a symposium on the Puertorrican economy, written by academics. Don't get me wrong, it is well written, thoroughly researched and incisive but it is heavy reading and the authors contradict each other constantly. Still, it is a must read but you are better off reading James Dietz' two books on the island's economy, which are more entertaining and informative.

It is important to note that among the sponsors of the book are the island's largest bank and many other large corporations, which may account for the report's criticism of the use of the Federal Minimum Wage laws there. Again, it is a must read but with a critical mind set.

good if you are familar with the receipts and have are handy around the kitchen

A young man from that delightful island works at the local market, and sometimes delivers groceries to our home. He often eulogizes the young ladies of his homeland quite salaciously, particularly one Miss "Jay Lowe" (an odd name for a woman, but he seems to be quite smitten). As Christmas approached I spied this book's title in a long list of closed-out items in a catalog and ordered it for Manuel, hoping to ease his homesickness with a visual panegyric to San Juan womanhood. However it turns out that this is a cookbook, as any less prurient reader would have immediately gleaned from its title. So I instead made it a gift to Mrs. Higgensworth, née Ramirez, who can hold more than just a candle to any number of Jay Lowe's in or out of the kitchen. We have dined on delectable series of Puerto Rican entrees throughout the subsequent weeks - a marked improvement on the Panamanian specialties that Mrs. Higgensworth mastered in the kitchens of her youth. A masterful chapter on Puerto Rican desserts will be particularly debilitating to the waistline of any gentleman lucky enough to have a Latina vixen attending to his oven. Andelé!

This book is definately worth buying. Its subtle cover hides within a garden of jems from different authors. You must check out the article by Agustin Lao as well as the awesome article by Raquel Rivera

This collective work proposes a whole new approach to Puerto Rican history and politics. Is Puerto Rico a nation? In many ways yes, but the degree of integration with the United States over the past century has made for a very fluid collective identity which cannot be reduced to that of a nation. The authors of this work explore this idea from many different angles. Controversial and not to be missed.

Great book with descriptions and history of the island. Great color photographs.

This is an excellent book from Puerto Rico. It will help you if would like to share with others how beautiful is our island or if you live far away from PR and like to remeber and see beautiful images of PR. It offers a great variety of images from Old San Juan to Cabo Rojo's lighthouse.
The only complaint I have with the book is that some of the images are not recent other than that is a great book.

"González is one of the most eloquent and important of Puerto Rico's contemporary writers. He rightly criticizes the vision of the past by which Spanish governance is gilded, while deep divisions within Puerto Rican society are glossed over. Any serious student of Puerto Rico, whether in literature, history, or the social sciences should be familiar with this essay."
-Sidney Mintz in The Americas

I thought this was a great book. Many may not agree because it says that our culture was an African culture. My stepdad doesn't see it like that. He says our culture has african presence but not completely and african/caribbean culture. But this books shows that it was, and it was invaded by Europeans later on. I recomend you read it. the one by Jose Luis Gonzalez: Puerto Rico: the four storeyed country

Before i read this book I had no clue of the unique place that is San Juan, Puerto Rico. I read the majority of the book before my trip and in addition to reviews on places of interest like most other guides, Zaine does a great job in describing and capturing the essence of Puerto Rico and its residents. It gave me a great insight into its beautiful culture and it helped authenticate my experince of the island!!!! It's also a great carry-on to reference.

If you are in San Juan for a couple of days or more this is a very good book to get before the trip for research and to take with you, although it is a little too large to easily carry around in a pocket, maybe in a bag or big purse. Covering only SJ and the two islands the book has more space to spend on details of the area; more information on the hotels or restaurants or the sights. I recommend it although I was dismayed that specializing in SJ the maps were not more detailed or numerous. I had to refer to a different travel book for a better mapping. It could include more restaurants as well. Second edition could be a real winner with good editing help, but this edition is worth picking up if you are headed down to San Juan, Vieques or Culebra.

This volume offers an engagingly written ethnography and history of brujeria (witch-healing) as practiced on the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Romberg argues convincingly that brujeria is not a marginal or exotic practice, but an active partner of contemporary Puerto Rican consumerism and the welfare state. The book concludes with an insightful discussion of the nature of magic and an exposition on the quest for "authenticity" in contemporary Caribbean religions. Recommended. Stephen D. Glazier, Professor of Anthropology, University of Nebraska.

This is probably the first and single most important book on Puerto Rican Espiritismo and Brujeria (Witchcraft) as it is practiced on the island. The book does not just only give you an anthropological look into Brujeria, but also the history on how it probably started out on the Island as well as how Taino, African and Spanish Catholic influences has changed the face of Brujeria and Espiritismo in Puerto Rico.
The book also introduces Haydee, La Numero Uno Bruja de Loiza. :The Number One Witch-Healer of Loiza, Puerto Rico." The author takes you into the mind of a modern bruja, and their practices. It also gives you how Cuban Santeria and its pantheon of Orisha Spirits has been intermingled and embraced into its cosmology. Topics on Curanderismo and Kardecian Spiritism are also spoken about.
This is an important book for all Puerto Rican who are looking for their identity within Espiritismo, Santeria, Curanderismo or Brujeria. Haydee "may she rest in peace" may have lived a life that many have not approved on, she may have been a hypocrite to others, but she was honest, she had nothing to hide. Not to the author of the book and especially not to any of it's readers. For that alone I enjoyed its sincearity, and I can Highly recommend this book.