Puerto Rico Books

I am not a science fiction reader and didn't know what to expect from this book, but after reading it, I will be counting the days for James Stevens next novel.It had so many things that are happening in our moral decaying world ,that it gave me an earie feeling, like a premonition, of something not too far away if we don't open our eyes on time.Yet it gives you hope, because it teach you that the answer to your doubts and fears are inside you. Only you can save yourself.I enjoyed every word in it and could not stop reading until the last page.

What do you like in book? If you are like me, it is never just one quality that you look for, it is a combination of several qualities which vary in amount depending on your mood.

I didn't know what to expect when I read this book. And honestly were I not a member of the same writer's workshop as James Stevens-Arce, I would not have bought this book. It is just not my thing. Don't get me wrong. A lot of people in the workshop really loved this book for the story, but as I said, satire is really not my thing. To me it was just a nice relaxing evening on the couch-I don't get very many of those-so this was well worth the price to me

The thing that most impressed me about this book is the speed with which you can read it. It just draws you in and really does a better job at it than just about any book I have ever read. It was amazing, I read this book in just about two hours and forty-five minutes. This makes the book especially relaxing to read I think.

So is the book good? I think you will need to decide that for yourself. However, one thing I will say is that James Stevens-Arce is without a doubt the hardest working author I know. He always takes the time to go that little extra mile for the fans..

A novel that uses first person, present tense is not easy to find, probably because there are not many convincing reasons to use it. In Soulsaver, James Stevens-Arce does it well.

This book is an interesting and fast-paced satire. The protagonist, Juan Bautista Lorca, is a callow youth blinded by the society in which he lives. That Stevens-Arce chooses to tell his story from this little twerp's viewpoint is daring for the reader doesn't take immediately to him. Stevens-Arce carefully mitigates that problem in several ways.

First, he doesn't get inside his head much until the character begins to change, and to grow. We can never be certain but I believe this was a conscious decision because poor Juan doesn't have a deep thought stored anywhere in there, anyway. It is a perfect approach to this kind of character building.

One of the difficulties of using this method is that the reader gets less insight into the character than we have become accustomed to. Any we do get comes from the dialogue and/or what is happening around Juan. There is an advantage here, as well. The action moves forward very quickly and we find ourselves immersed in the time (The Year of Our Lord 2099) and the place (San Juan, the capitol city of our 52nd state). And, surprising, this is enough. The author has carefully balanced what the reader is likely to miss with what she gets.

As Juan develops and finds his own depth, we find that Steven-Arce is a writer with a first-class instinct for words as well. For those of us who long to see, hear, and feel when we read, this novel is not a disappointment. We must wait, but we get wonderful similes like, "...the sun...looks like a communion wafer pasted against the sky," and "...the Swiss cheese of pigeon holes cut into the ancient wall..." Stevens-Arce has crafted a book where there is only straightforward, uncluttered writing until the reader is hooked. Only then do we find passages that are pure poetry. By that time we find ourselves literally gobbling it up.

Stevens-Arce has one more trick to keep the reader hanging in there while this shallow youth ogles breasts, bounces to the music blasting into his headphones and relishes his own benign happiness with himself and the god-awful world he doesn't see around himself. He uses present tense. I hate present tense. Yet I hardly noticed. It propels the novel forward when it needs momentum. After it has done its job the reader becomes so used to it, it is no longer a factor.

If I were still teaching English, this book would become one of my texts. It's not often that one finds first person, present tense put to such carefully crafted use. It's also not often that one finds a book that lauds the often-maligned ability of thinking for oneself. Next to Holden Caulfield, Juan Bautista Lorca may be the best literary example for youth in recent times.

A gripping, fast-paced, amusing look at a future that was both terrifying and hopeful. Crisp, sure writing swept me into the story, willy-nilly. Well worth the ride!

Religious fanatics control this truly dystopian society of 2099. Puerto Rico is a microcosm of events that happen across the USA for it is the 52nd state. Faith and religious beliefs are examined, challenged, and altered in this delightful, somewhat shocking, all too plausible novel.

Juan Bautista Lorca, a rookie technician, and his partner Fabiola drive a FreezVan for the Suicide Prevention Corps of America (SPCA -- yes, a glimmer of the satire woven throughout the book). They race to the scene of a suicide, pack ice around the body, then take it Saint Francis of Assisi Resurrection Center in time for repair and revival. Returning to life after the harrowing experience of death, deep freeze, and resuscitation generally prevents the individual from trying to commit this heinous crime again. Only those who truly do not want to live in an over populated, under fed, under educated, and overly controlled society try a second suicide -- and they make sure the body can't be made to live again.

This book has won many awards: Best First Novel of 2000--Rocky Mountain News; Best of the Year 2000 list--San Francisco Chronicle; Best First Novels of 2000 Recommended Reading List--Locus magazine.

This is the story that I could easily see Kevin Smith (Silent Bob) turning into another great hit movie. Five stars.

Victoria Tarrani

This is an amazing book. This book allow the reader to see the different changes than our island had been thru. Excellent.

The pages of this pictorial opus expresses the legacy, struggle, beauty, misery, joy of Puerto Rico of days past. Second, third generation Puerto Ricans will reconnect with their roots page by page. This is surely an enlighting photo memoir of our People, the images speak louder then words. The power of photograph comes to light in these pages, and Delano did it so well. Delano saves the spirit of Puerto Rico's past, once thought to be lost with faded memories. This is a book to keep for oneself, it strenghtens one's soul.

I can't belive how Mr. Delano took this pictures in a way that it seems they are telling you a complete story. In thi book you can see how Puerto Rico had differente eras and how progress came to our Island. It was not an easy process but you can see it thru the excellent work of Jack Delano. Children, Adults, workers, farmers, everybody even poor people have part in this book because they all were part of our history. An excellent work.

I simply love this book. As a starving college student, I still haven't come up with the money to buy it, but...someday I will. I've leafed through it a million times and never get bored by it...as a native Puertorrican living abroad, this is simply my favorite photographic work on my homeland. Delano did an amazing job.

This book is fascinating! After spending an hour with this book I felt like I really knew what time has meant to Borinquen. Hearing family stories is one thing, but seeing pictures from when they were growing up is another. Anyone interested in Puerto Rican history should have this book.

The book is designed to offer a good list of places to scuba relying on the use of dive operators - it lists many. Its use for a couple who just wish to go alone (in a buddy system, of course) is limited, since the locations are not exactly defined. The book also offers a lot of advice as to many facets of diving in these areas. In general, it is an excellent book with the caveat of not giving exact coordinates nor reference points by which to find the specific spots.

This book is very thorough on the coverage that I was looking for. I recommend this book. Actually, I couldn't find any other books that covered Puerto Rico.

This is one of the most thorough and up to date dive travel books I've ever read. We used a lot of the information on diving and related material on our recent trip to P.R. and found it very helpfull and accurate.

Once again we have an excellent and very useful publication aimed at amateur and professional diver alike. This is a true guide which concentrates on providing all the relevant and peripheral information that any Scuba Diver will want to know in respect of any of the Caribbean destinations covered. The maps and diagrams are particularly useful - and very easy to follow.

We live in an age where diving instructors and dive guides "have" to know what they are doing and it is interesting to see those professionals are using this book and not any of the glossy alternatives. Sadly, we also live in an age where many diving publications fall short. Too much false information - and even total lack of information is hidden behind excellent underwater photographs as publisher after publisher seeks to beguile, confuse and even mislead the potential buyer. Not so with this book!

My direct experience has been to find this series of books contain exactly the information divers require before during and even after their trip. Very well written, it includes all the general information on diving, facilities, climate, sea, regulations, boats, cruise liners, resorts, hotels, flora, fauna, shipwrecks, photography and safety. It then moves on to cover each of the target Caribbean countries which are the main subject of the book before concluding with a Glossary, Bibliography and Accident and Emergency Information.

We can all find pretty pictures on the internet - without even having to pay to see them. Information, however, especially reliable information, is much harder to find. If you are contemplating a trip to any of the countries featured in this book, you will find all - and I do mean "ALL" the information you require right here. That might be at the expense of some pretty pictures - but hey, once you get there, you can take those yourself.

In summary, once again we have "A Complete Guide" - which is exactly what it says on the cover.

NM

I have been meaning to review this book for some time as it is one of the most thumbed books on our book shelf. My wife and I run a charter yacht in the Virgin Islands and many of our guests are keen divers. We bought The Complete Diving Guide for our own use initially but it has since become part of the yacht's library as our guests find it so useful and enjoyable to read. (as our copy is getting rather worn I'm pleased to say that many of them buy their own copy after having seen ours). It is rare to find a book that is so comprehensive and which presents a vast amount of information in such a readable manner. In particular we find the island and dive site maps useful along with the descriptions of the dives and the underwater route maps. I can direct our guests at the tyupe of dive that I think they would enjoy and they can read about it beforehand. They can also choose the dive store they would like to use. I'd thoroughly recommend it to anyone planning to do some diving in the Virgin Islands (it even covers the Spanish Virgin Islands).

Basics: 1989, revised edition, softcover, 254 pages, 24 color and 17 b&w plates, 284 species, no range maps

This is one of the few books to focus on the birds of Puerto Rico. Its field guide size makes the book convenient to carry and the illustrations are good enough to help identify nearly every bird that can be found on the island. The Puerto Rican endemics are nicely distinguished by having either a single color plate dedicated to the bird or by having a distinctive blue sphere surround the bird if it's on a plate with other species. Distinguishing the endemic is a very handy feature that should be used in other regional field guides. I would like to have seen more attention and illustrations given to the endemics, such as the Puerto Rican Vireo or the Puerto Rican Flycatcher. Each has only one image, which fails to show the variation that can exist in the fresh vs. worn plumages.

The text, making up the latter two-thirds of the book, covers the standard information of identification, voice, nesting (if applicable), distribution, and comments. The comments section often provides interesting historical, taxonomic, habitat, and behavioral tidbits. These are nice additions to a field guide.

Two nice features have been included into the back of the book. One, is a section of seven birding localities with a map, directions, and commentary on each. Two, is a checklist denoting which birds can be found at each of those localities.

I would like to see an update to this book to include range maps for this island. Yes, many of the birds might have very similar ranges, but others (e.g., Yellow-shouldered Blackbird, Puerto Rican Nightjar, Elfin Woods Warbler) have very restricted or spotty ranges.

Using only this book in Puerto Rico will be sufficient for any trip. However, my next trip will include the more up-to-date Birds of West Indies by Raffaele (paperback). The information is written a bit more clearly with additional characteristics; the drawings are moderately better; and, there are more illustrations for the endemics.

Other Related Books:
1) Puerto Rico's Birds in Photographs by Oberle
2) Las Aves de Puerto Rico by Biaggi
3) Birds of the West Indies by Bond
4) Birds of the West Indies by Raffaele
5) A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies by Raffaele
6) Photographic Guide to Birds of the West Indies by Flieg

This guide is very useful. Descriptions are detailed and interesting, often with histories of the birds' settlement on the islands. Some of the plates with birds more often found on the North American continent or birds not easily mistakenly identified are in black and white, but most of the plates are in color. A helpful feature is that both English and Spanish common names for the birds are listed even though the book is in English.

I have owned this book for a number of years and have been going to P.R. for over 15 years and this is by far the best book on the birds of the island. It has great maps and ideas for places to go bird watching on the island. The only setback is that i wish it had more color slides of the birds. But it does not make this a bad choice. I love my book and it is getting worn out and I will need a new one soon. Good Luck birding on a wonderful island.

An extremely well-written and well-illustrated book with especially helpful and detailed text on habitat, behavior, and locales. On a recent trip to Puerto Rico for birding, we found this book to be extraordinarily helpful. Since we have come home to the Continental USA, it continues to be rich reading.

I carried this very handy book around Puerto Rico and Culebra. It was particularly helpful to know the specific areas where various birds are usually found, as well as local names. Very good illustrations.

This is a beautifully produced photographic essay on the plight of the Puerto Rican people in the United States. It begins, interestingly, in Hawaii but spreads across the entire United States, with stops in New York City, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Chicago, Washington DC, and California. Most of the photographs are from the 1980s, with a few somewhat earlier. The photographs are supported by well written, informative text that movingly documents the struggle of a displaced, disenfranchised people. The Puerto Rican people are in a peculiar position which has made them especially vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination. They are part of the United States, so they are American citizens. But they are not a state. They do not vote in federal elections and have no representation in the U.S. Congress. Puerto Rico is considered a "commonwealth," with a somewhat confusing and ambiguous status. The issue of statehood versus independence versus continuation of the status quo as a commonwealth is a matter of ongoing debate among Puerto Ricans. However, the history of the relationship with the United States is akin to the relationship between a colonial power and a colony, namely, oppression and exploitation by large well capitalized interests. This book is the visual documentation of the human impact of that relationship. In response to the economic hardships facing them on the island, many Puerto Ricans migrated to the United States mainland and Hawaii in hopes of improving their lot. Frank's assessment of that quest is generally negative. He believes that living conditions in the Puerto Rican communities have worsened between 1980 and 2000. However, his beautiful black and white photographs, which include many sensitive portraits as well as urban landscapes, reveal a community with great vitality and youthful energy struggling against the harsh background of poverty and discrimination. Although they are downtrodden, these people are not in despair. That can be clearly seen in the photographs. These are people with dreams and the drive to pursue them. These are communities that have strong internal bonds and are engaged in a vigorous ongoing struggle to improve their fortunes. Frank has been an activist and a leader in that struggle as well as a photographer who documents it. He has produced a very moving and informative book that is a credit to his people and their ongoing endeavor. In the interest of full disclosure Frank has been a teacher, mentor, and friend of mine for probably twenty years. He brings high standards of craftsmanship and quality to his work as a photographer. One sees those standards of excellence at work in the skill and thought with which this high quality book has been put together. It is an excellent addition to any photographic collection.

Bravo! This life's work by Frank Espada is a beautiful and moving documentary of humanity. The stunning photographs tell a compelling story on their own. The stories that accompany the photos tell the heart wrenching experiences of a proud people that have contributed so much to our history and culture, yet at the same time continue to be neglected. This book should be in the curriculum of every high school, college and university across the country, as it certainly chronicles an important chapter of civil rights and human rights in American history.

What draws you into this experience are the masterful photographs captured by one of the world's most important documentary photographers. If you are a lover of documentary photography, this book is for you.

In any given year, few books document the ethnic experience of any one group of people. Even fewer depict the Hispanic experience within this context. Rarer yet have any of these publications captured the essence of the Latino migratory experience. And barely a handful has portrayed the migration of the Puerto Rican citizen--from island to Mainland.

It is indeed refreshing for a Hispanic volume to exclusively focus on a group that continues to represent the world's largest human airborne migration, still striving to survive and longing to make significant contributions. Page after page chronicles countless journeys and unfolds arduous experiences. Espada's book provides a living testament to this migration and portrays indelible images of a people in transit.

Spanning more than half a century, few books have portrayed the diaspora of Puerto Ricans so vividly. Through the critical eye of a still camera, this compendium represents the height of photo documentation without being journalistic in style or verbose in narrative. As it captures the essence of a people, it also represents a rather unique addition to our knowledge by filling a historical vacuum and illustrating how this population flux has greatly enriched this country.

Not to be misunderstood, however, the book is more than a collection of photos. It represents a selection of some of the best photographs an essayist would be proud to showcase. Each photo has been painstakingly selected. Some represent winners of awards, while others represent the best from regional and national exhibitions. The author communicates a vibrant history within 200 photo-filled pages, each conveying the richness of life and struggle across multiple decades and in a wide array of settings. As such, the book is not one to be merely read, but one to be experienced through its many images and subjects.

Such a compilation of photo art is also the culmination of more than 50 years of toil by a Boricua who also happens to be a photographer and a detailed chronicler of events. It exemplifies the work of a photographer that had the temerity to document the initial movement of a people to this country and with subsequent labor migrations across states, cities and barrios. The photos capture a people's movement in dramatic black and white--active and energetic, alone and in despair, in song and dane.

Equally important, the book represents a beautiful product. It is one that will likely withstand the test of time and can be proudly displayed on a mantelpiece along with sculpture and other artwork. Its photos are so impressive and well presented that the book can become a talking piece all its own. As a compilation of gorgeous photography, it also can become a veritable addition to any collection.
--Abdin Noboa-Rios, Ph.D.

Frank's book is an evocative and poignant portrayal of his soul-search and it's profound rooting in his ethnic heritage. In the tradition of Gene Smith, the expressively graphic photographs of his quest stand out from the glitz and vanity of much of today's photographic expression for their truth and honesty. For those who value such, an important book for their bookshelves.

Dave Heath

I adore this book. The images are striking, engaging and filled with poinancy. Frank Espada's incredible achievement stands the test of time and is forever immortalized in this exceptional book. The book itself is a work of art and graces our living space with its distinguished presence. The rich and bold images have been crafted by one of the world's masters of black and white photography. Each image reaches out with humanity, vulnerability, honesty and compassion. Frank Espada has given the world an incredible gift of his creative eye, masterful skill and heroic heart.

This is a book any serious photographer or photography lover should own, but also those interested in American history. The Puerto Rican Disaspora is not just a story for or about Puerto Ricans. It is about America. It is about us. If we do not know our history, we are doomed to repeat our mistakes in the future. Frank has documented an important aspect of our struggle for civil and human rights in a community he knew intimately well. This project is a seminal work from an American master.

I've collected many books on PR history over the years in both English and Spanish. This is by far my favorite. A must to have for any Puerto Rican looking for a good start to learn about his/her history, but not just for amateurs or beginners.

The authors do a wonderful job of describing the history of Puerto Ricans on the island from the time before Columbus to the 1970's. They do a unique job of pulling from official transcripts which paint a very accurate picture of various subjects from the life of a "Xibar/Jibaro" to the arguement in cogress on whether to include Puerto Ricans in the military draft of the 1960's. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to know about the history of the island and it's people.

It is a very well documented book, and provides proof or evidence of each historic event. It is objective and is not biased toward any political view. The best thing of the book is that it fills those empty spaces I had from my years studying PR history. With this book, I was able to see the "whole picture" or in other words "tie those loose ends".

A real gem, in my opinion. I still refer to it a lot. When my kids have questions about Puerto Rico, I read passages from the book to them. I absolutely recommend it.

There is one recommendation I would like to give to the editors. Given the number of significant historic events about the Puerto Ricans that have happened since the book was last published in 1994, I recommend the editors to revise this wonderful documentary to bring it up-to-date.

"A pleasure to read. . . . Each page provides a fresh glimpse into the unfolding story of a people. The book captures the human and personal component of . . . sweeping historical changes." -International Migration

This book was amazing. I love the format the author used. Unlike other history books the author uses actual documents from Puerto Rico's history to tell her story. After reading this book, I now have an understanding of where my family came from, and more pride in us. Thank you Kal!

Basics: 2000, 2nd edition, softcover, 129 pages, 300 color photos of 181 species, CD with 1,300 photos of 335 species, audio clips, no range maps

Compared to other bird books on Puerto Rico or the Caribbean, this book is not formatted to be used as a field guide. Instead, it is a photographic overview of the island's 181 resident and visiting birds, but not the other 150 less common vagrants. Each page covers 1-2 species with 1-4 photos and 1-5 paragraphs of text. As one would hope, greater coverage and more photos are given to the Puerto Rican endemics and the Caribbean specialties.

The color photographs are generally good and are shown in appropriate sizes. Some of them are a little grainy and others might lean towards small, but nothing too bad.

The text gives the usual contents of identification, habitat, habits, status, conservation, and range. Three-quarters of the text is dedicated to the bird's habits, status, and conservation, reinforcing this book is not geared to be used as a field guide. It is an at-home reference to review and learn about the more common Puerto Rican birds.

Enhancing the photographic content of this book is a CD attached to the inside, back cover. This CD contains 1,300 photos of all 335 species to have occurred on the island. Each bird has anywhere between 1 and 16 color photos. Just as in the book, text is offered for the species, often with additional material not found within the book. A nice addition is the inclusion of sound clips for most of the expected birds. The quality of the photos are not as good as those found inside the book, but they do offer more poses and variations. The CD was created to run on both Windows and Mac. It's worked for me with no problems on Windows 2000 and XP.

I've listed several related books below...
1) A Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands by Raffaele
2) Las Aves de Puerto Rico by Biaggi
3) Birds of the West Indies by Bond
4) Birds of the West Indies by Raffaele
5) A Guide to the Birds of the West Indies by Raffaele
6) Photographic Guide to Birds of the West Indies by Flieg

I am going to Puerto Rico for a vacation. This book will help me to identify the birds that i might see.
Since it is small it is easy to carry around with you. I think that nature lovers would enjoy it. I give it a hearty recommendation

This guide to Puerto Rico's birds is really quite strong and useful, especially when combined with the information on the included CD (which is well organized in both English and Spanish.) Who wouldn't love to just sit at their computer all day and listen to birdsong, at least when they can't be out in the mountains or mangroves of PR?? I found the photographs quite satisfactory for ID purposes (not something to be taken lightly) and the narrative information is very useful.

Just one nit to pick: why is the peregrine falcon described as "a small hawk"?

El libro y el CD son excelentes, sobretodo porque se conecta al internet y uno accesa otros sonidos de aves. Una lástima que el libro en español no incluya el CD, los puertorriqueños leemos y hablamos el español, no entiendo porque el libro en español no pueda incluir el CD con un sonido que es universal : el de los pájaros.

This is the perfect guide book for birding in Puerto Rico. The photographs, 1340 in all, are brilliant, and the text is detailed and rich in information. The guide itself will easily fit into a pocket or day pack and so when out in the field you will have it at your fingertips.

What's unique about this guide is the excellent CD-Rom that comes with it -- this will help you before you go to know what the birds look like, their calls, their behavior and where you can find them once in Puerto Rico. I used the CD-Rom to check out three of my favorite PR birds and was amazed at the numerous and gorgeous pictures, the superb quality of the audio recordings and the information Oberle has reproduced in this book. For instance, regarding the Puerto Rican Tody (one of the 17 PR endemics covered in this guide as well as over 320 other birds), there were a dozen different pictures of the Tody including fabulous close-ups. The information Oberle gives includes identification, voice with audio, habitat, habits, range, status and conservation, taxonomy and related books and articles about the Tody. The Tody is a tiny forest bird with emerald green upperparts and a bright red bill and throat -- everytime I see one I think of a Christmas tree ornament, they are so cute! Oberle discusses in detail what they eat: katydids, grasshoppers, earwings and dragonflies, and discusses as well their foraging techniques. Because Oberle goes into such great detail about ID and habitat/habits, I think this is the best guide to enable one to actually find the birds once in PR.

I also checked out the PR Woodpecker and found those pictures, audio and habitat/habits information just as extensive as that about the Tody. I learned that the woodpecker's stiff tail feathers helps it to gain balance while chiseling at tree bark to find its favorite insects, including earwings, beetle larvae and ants. I discovered it occasionally eats scorpions and and lizards! Oberle informs the reader that a good place to find the woodpecker is around the parking lot of the El Portal visitor Center at the El Yungue national park.

A third bird that is well covered in both the CD and guide is the Pin-tailed Whydah, which has a most remarkable long tail and perches on wires and branches. I was surprised to learn that the female is like our parasitic cowbird and doesn't build her own nest but drops her eggs in other birds' nests.

Oberle has done a splendid job of bringing together in a compact book all the information and photgraphs of birds that you will need when out in the field. Because he cares so much about these birds and the environment, he also has special sections at the begining of the book on conservation efforts, migratory birds that winter in PR, and the extinction issues that face too many birds and other wildlife today in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.

To anyone going to Puerto Rico who plans to do some birding, I heartily recommend this book and CD-Rom to you.

This book is a masterpiece that flawlessly combines the truth of Puertorican politics with a story that intertwines the complex and hopeless dreams and fears of an ambivalent cast of characters. Mr. Davila Colon does a superb job at presenting the real roots of today's Puertorican social, cultural, economic and political decomposition. A must read for those born and still living in the island as well as to those that want to gain an insight into the chaotic conditions of this island and the bleak outlook for its future. This book may very well be a sophisticated last call to reality for an island whose potential for great and prosperous future was squandered by selfish, greedy, incompetent and careless politicians and population that refused to assume the responsibility for their own future.

Luis Davila Colon will someday be regarded as the Rush Limbaugh of Puerto Rican politics. His novel brilliantly ties his well thought out and fact based history of the Puerto Rico's colonial status (not a pretty one) for the past 50+ years with the a day in the near future: the day before the change of status from US colony to independent nation. The beauty of this novel is that everything can occur for real. His criticsm of the current colonial status, ELA, is just as earth shattering as the final newspaper column (of one of his main characters - who pretty much resembles Luis Davila Colon himself) called "El ultimo estadista" (the last statehooder)

The ending is unexpected and fascinating. This book is best for those people born in PR who support US statehood. All others (especially populares) read at your own risk since even though it is fiction, the truth may hurt and anger you.

Acabo de leer la novela "Se acabó lo que se daba" y en realidad es una verdadera obra de arte. Aunque no soy estadista, ni lo seré nunca (siempre he apoyado a la Soberanía del ELA o Libre Asociación, la novela nos habla de muchas realidades tanto para el PNP, el Partido Popular y el Partido Independentista.

Es una novela biográfica, llena de datos reales para los que les gusta la política interna de Puerto Rico y también tiene sus romances y datos pasionales-eroticos para los más románticos.

Aunque no quisiera abundar detalladamente de qué trata la novela, para no quitarle la ilusión a quien no la ha leído todavía. La novela se desarrolla en el aeropuerto, y surgen muchos recuerdos y visiones de lo que nos deparará el futuro despues de la transición del ELA a la República Asociada. En realidad muy interesante desde principio a fin.

La novela tiene un lenguaje bien libre, a lo bien boricua, sin pelos en la lengua y sin tapujos, lo que hace que te imagines los personajes y vivas lo mismo que viven ellos.

En realidad vale la pena leerla detalladamente, se aprende muchísimo, se goza muchísimo también, es muy entretenida y hay acción todo el tiempo. Felicito al autor por esta novela, en realidad es una obra muy bien preparada, aunque yo personalmente no apoye la estadidad.

¡TREMENDA!
No podía soltarla. De veras que es obra maestra. Mientras iba leyendo, me recordaba de comentarios que yo mismo le hacía a amigos cuando de vez en cuando tocábamos temas políticos. "La política puertorriqueña es más o menos como la canción de Rubén Blades.

Pedro Navaja piensa tener "guiso facil" cuando se le "fue pa' encima" a "esa mujer" (la 'prosti') que "recorría la acera entera por quinta vez y refunfuñando porque no hizo pesos con que comer". Bueno, creo que conocen el cuento. Navaja le da puñal y ella le da cañonazo. Los dos, muertos de herida, moribundos en la calle del "metrópolis". Cuando así de repente, sale de la nada el "borrachito" a quien nadie le hace caso porque..."que puede hacer un borracho si.... borracho no vale...no señor..." PERO.....este "borracho" tenía la vista más clara que el día aunque sus tumbos de lado a lado y apariencia dieran entender lo opuesto. Ese borrachito "cogió el revolver, el puñal, los pesos, y se marchó. Y tropezando se fué cantando desafiná'o.......La vida te da sorpresas...... sorpresas te da la vida, ay Dios...."

Esta novela, aunque supuestamente "ficción" , hits the nail on the head!!! A true elaboration of our condition. This novel is truly "Hollywood" material.

He leído muchísimas novelas dis que de "ficción" que dicen la verdad escuetamente...PAN, PAN.....VINO, VINO. Pero al ser humano se le hace imposible aceptar la verdad cuando esa verdad choca con sus ideas preconcebidas y arraisgadas en la mente. Si se fuera a decir las cosas que se dicen en esta novela en son de "non-fiction" ni si quiera la leerían. Pero a veces hay que decir la verdad tal como si fuera mentiras para que la gente lo crea. El ser humano está más inclinado a creer la mentira que la verdad. Es la condición humana no solo de los puertorriqueños.

Me gustó muchísimo que se presente este tema en una manera tan lúcida y tan "matter of fact" y a la vez utilizando un pincel con un arco-iris de colores linguísticos que pintan los pensamientos, los recuerdos y las emociones de los personajes con tanto esplendor.

Muy original!
La novela es una mezcla de la "Charca" de Manuel Zeno Gandia y "1984" de George Orwell.

Luis R. Davila Colon nos expone de forma explicita y cruda problemas actuales dentro de nuestra sociedad, tal como hiciera Zeno Gandia en su tiempo. Tomando como base los sucesos historicos ocurridos durante las ultimas 6 decadas (60+ anos) en Borinquen bella, Davila Colon nos proyecta una vision del futuro: "hacia donde vamos o donde podriamos estar en un futuro no muy lejano". El autor nos transporta a ese futuro de una forma logica tal como lo hiciera Orwell al escribir su novela: "1984".

La novela esta escrita en forma amena, en lenguaje pueblerino. Se nos describen las situaciones politicas, sociales, economicas ocurridas en la isla durante 60+ anos y como estos hechos nos estan llevando de forma directa e indirecta hacia un futuro acertado, decidido, donde la ambiguedad no tiene cabida, donde se le da fin a nuestra mar de indecisiones como pueblo.

Una novela con miras a convertirse en literatura dentro de nuestro curriculo escolar, una lectura obligada, pero que por ser tan politicamente correcta sabemos que no va a ser incluida, al menos por ahora. Esperemos que, como minimo, pronto sea rescatada por algun Profesor Universitario.

Felicidades, al autor por traernos de forma sencilla un tema que muchos evaden pero tan importante para nuestro pueblo.

As a genealogist, I have a particular interest in these types of publications. Guillermo Baralt has collected priceless information on Puerto Rican history.

I have a lot invested in this book as my mom's family comes from hacienda life and are from this area of the island. It helped me flesh out a better picture of my ancestral movements. For my mom and aunts, reading this book was like reading a diary. This was their life experience. Thanks so much for translating this. It can be enjoyed by any serious historian of the Caribbean.

Historically, factual, fascinating, a wealth of information culturally, and a must read (required) for all Puerto Ricans, Newyoricans, and ANYONE interested in the history of the founding fathers of the New World!...I found this book, while researching the archives online at the New York Historical Society's Library. But, it only showed the original, which was written in Spanish. The history and clarity of the subject matter contained in this book is long overdue, and covered the subject spectrum 100%!


After speaking with my brother, whose first visit to Puerto Rico (at a ripe old age of 49), included a visit to 'Plantation Buena Vista,' he told me about the rich history that he saw there, and that he was totally fascinated by it! I again, researched this book online at [...], and saw, that it was redone in English, so that, I could read it!

If I were asked to contribute anything to this book, I would just say, that I would have liked it to be broader to include more chapters! Perhaps, a sequel to this book can be written! Or, maybe even, it should be made into a TV Series...muchas, Alex Haley's TV miniseries, "ROOTS!"

The ongoing saga of the Buena Vista Plantation, rich cultural history of the Vives Family and Puerto Rico after the turn of the century, is equally, and, even more, compelling a story!

Thank you Amazon for providing this book, as it filled in the facts that not being able to read comprehensively in Spanish has cost!

I received this book on Saturday and finished it Sunday . An excellent, detailed account on life in a Puerto Rican Hacienda. Wonderful illustrations of people of the time and details of sophisticated equipment used in those time. A true picture of how life was then. My grandfather was a farmer and worked on a plantation so this gives light to some of the stories he told me about. An excellent books for anyone that wants to know about their roots and is especially interested in the Ponce area although this was probably typical of all plantations. A must read!!!

If your really into history Colonial days you should really put your hands on this one. It takes you on a drive full of feeling to that era. Im Italian and it made me recall my grandparents village in Palermo... I give Gullermo A. Baralt an A+

(From Planeta journal): This new English-language translation of an established Caribbean classic traces the history of the Buena Vista estate in the foothills of Puerto Rico's central mountain range. Now a living history museum, Buena Vista gained its initial success producing food for the town of Ponce, proving that raising crops for local consumption could be as profitable as sugar or coffee for export. The text spans almost a century -- a time in which slavery ended and technology expanded at a phenomenal rate. This is an exceptional book, one that any visitor to Puerto Rico should read before making an obligatory visit to the island's Living Museum of Art and Science.

In a word, Wow! This is a superb "portrait" of this island. The photographs are absolutely stunning. But this isn't just a "postcard" view of Puerto Rico -- there's lots of coverage of the people, history, and culture, too. The author-photographer has been traveling to Puerto Rico for over three decades, and it shows both in his photographs and his extensive text, which gives a solid but concise presentation of Puerto Rico's history in a very readable way without being dry. (Kind of National Geographic style.) And the picture captions are in-depth, presenting little gems of info about the picture subject matter if you're in too much of hurry to read the whole text. I've lived in Puerto Rico, and this has the feel of an insider's view, not just someone who has breezed through the island and shot a few pictures.

I've been travelling to the islands of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, for over 25 years, and I have quite a collection of coffee-table books on the region. This author is a master of getting "inside" the county, the people, the culture, the history. Incredible pictures -- this man is a true artist. (The photo notes say he took over 15,000 pictures to put the book together!) The text is chock-full of info, for those who actually take the time to read this sort of book. Actually, I had not intended to read the text, but I started reading a bit here and there and ended up reading it cover-to-cover. This book covers it all -- I couldn't recommend it more highly.

This stunning book reflects pure professionalism and attention to detail as well as a love and devotion to the island and people of Puerto Rico. The more than 100 photographs are magnificent. There are aerial shots of pristine, remote regions of the island and startling close-ups of both plants and wildlife. Then there are the photos of the bustling metropolis of San Juan, including the narrow streets of beautiful Old San Juan, the noteworthy architecture of Ponce, and, of course, the burgeoning tourist resorts. Last but not least are the stars of the book -- the people of Puerto Rico in their great variety of personality, background, and station in life. An added feature is a substantial amount of historical material that accompanies the photos, thereby providing virtually two books in one. Certainly this work is both an enticement to visit Puerto Rico and a happy reminder of past visits.

This book was a gift from my brother for the holidays. Being a native from Puerto Rico, I believe this book is invaluable for those of us who have been raised in Puerto Rico and like many others, like Mr.Labrucherie expresses in his book chapter "Jibaro", have pursued a more progressive lifestyle in the mainland. Nowhere have I read a book about Puerto Rico, its history and culture, that illustrates the true essence of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican as this book does. The author has an amazing ability of providing insight about the Island not only for the tourist but particularly to us that have lived there and are away. In its own way an analytical review of the Island's background, the book has been written in such a way that not only you learn but mostly you navigate through the book. When you finish each chapter, you feel that you have become part of the story told. Of course, the photography is superb, taking you to the heart of the topic for an extraordinary display of the profound beauty of Puerto Rico. A real pleasure and joy to read. Thank you, Mr. Labrucherie, for making me fall in love with my Island all over again. Cheers, for a fantastic photojournalism and writing exceptional gift!

A great coffee table book. A good start to a quality conversation.