Carrie Gibson

If you need a sweeping history of how the Spanish influence and conquest of this continent went down, whether for yourself or for students, this would be it. Like many history textbooks, there is so much that the ability to hone in on details is limited, despite the chapter titles referencing specific places. That's the early part of this book. After the 19th century, though, the author picked and chose places and events that would be representative Hispano communities, and that's probably the most realistic way to write a history like this. But by this point there is so much to cover that she couldn't possibly get it all, and I thought the inability to revisit some of the places (Santa Fe, St. Augustine, the early Texas missions) that appeared earlier in the book left it incomplete.… (meer)

Many of us at some point have visited one of the many idyllic islands in the Caribbean to enjoy a nice getaway; to soak up the sun and dip our feet into the warm white sands. We swam in the warm waters of the turquoise-blue Caribbean Ocean and have downed a glass of cold rum. Maybe sipped on a fancy drink that had a little umbrella resting on the glass rim. We enjoyed our new tans and flew back home feeling rested and already counting down the days for our next vacation.

Then author Carrie Gibson demolished that dreamy, sublime picture of the Caribbean and replaced it with a scene of constant destruction, exploitation, war, slavery and racism that permeated the region for centuries. Once Christopher Columbus landed on the shores of San Salvador, in present-day Bahamas, the world changed forever.

The Spanish, British, French, Dutch and Danish had a continual tug-of-war with the islands. When the rest of Europe saw how prosperous Spain was becoming after the “discovery” of the New World, other countries jumped in on the action and began sending their own ships to collect their share of the riches and splendor. Soon tobacco, sugar, coffee, and rum began to satiate the appetite of the deprived masses of North America and Europe. The hunger and thirst for these vices were first supplied by the blood, sweat and tears of the indigenous and once their population dwindled from disease and brutality African slaves were shipped in.

Gibson details the politics and history of the region like Castro’s Cuba or the tumultuous relationship of Haiti/Dominican Republic. She does a great job at stuffing such a heavy and numerous history into 400 or so pages. The book also offers an extensive bibliography, notes and index section and Gibson does a great job at listing her sources. There are also about 20 or so full color pictures that wonderfully add to the narrative.

I recommend this book to those who are interested in the turbulent and explosive history of the Caribbean. The term “paradise” is a façade and when we can look beyond the fog made by the cruise ships and the all-inclusive resorts then one can view the unfortunate poverty and crime that the tourists don’t see.… (meer)

A comprehensive exploration of the "Spanish" experience in North America, from the days of Columbus to Trump and his wall.

The author begins with Columbus' expedition and the conquistadores, pointing out the major themes of the story as they relate to Central and South America but focusing on the attempt to establish "Florida": not just the present peninsula, but as much of North America as could possibly be obtained. The author chronicles the difficulties the Spaniards faced in establishing colonies in North America, but ultimately how they were able to establish St. Augustine in Florida and New Mexico. Interactions with other nations building colonies are described; I, personally, had not been aware of Spanish settlements established in the South Carolina area that would eventually be abandoned.

The discussion of the 18th and 19th centuries described the missions in California, how Spain obtained and lost territory in eastern North America (including their establishment of New Madrid, MO), ceding West and East Florida to the British and getting it back again, giving up all of "Missouri" to Napoleon, who sold it to America, and ultimately the selling of Florida to the United States and the loss of all territory in eastern North America. The story then shifts to the independence of Mexico, the settling of Texas and the war for Texas, the Mexican War, the Gadsden purchase, and all of it in terms of how it looked to the Spanish speaking population. The late 19th and 20th century discussions, having discussed Cuba, the Spanish-American War, and the elimination of Spanish dominion in the New World, do speak some to the relations between Mexico and the United States but focuses primarily on the experience of Spanish speaking Americans, especially of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage.

The author does well at providing the American reader with a very different perspective on American history, and that is very useful for Americans attempting to grapple with our nation's current situation.

The only critique I would offer would involve the book's perspective. The story seems to be about the experience of those who spoke Spanish - mostly Spaniard at the beginning - and only later the Latino population as we would understand it now. It features an odd shift, for the Spaniards were ruthless conquerors and oppressors of natives, and one can reasonably see what ends up happening to Spanish control as the oppressor getting his just deserts and getting oppressed and defeated by a stronger power. Some commentary is made regarding the tiered cultural system of New Spain based on "whiteness", but not much. Starting in the middle of the 19th century the subject seems to shift to being the Latino population as currently constructed, the mixed populace of Spaniard and indigenous. It seemed a bit fuzzy.

Otherwise, though, a different way of seeing North American history.

**-galley received as part of early review program… (meer)