History of Puerto Rico

January 9, 2008 10:38 AM

I am looking for a comprehensive history of Puerto Rico. Any recommendations?

I just visited Puerto Rico, fell in love with the island, but also realized I know little about the islands history. I would ideally like to get a history that brings spans from the beginnings and brings you as close to the present as possible. I would appreciate any recommendations.

posted by philmas to Society & Culture (3 answers total)

Here is the thing with books about the history of Puerto Rico. Many times, the political ideology of the author will somehow shine through. So please keep that in mind.

I would suggest starting with Puerto Rico: A Political and Cultural History, by Arturo Morales Carrión. When I attended high school (in Puerto Rico), our PR history teacher used this as a textbook. It's not really a textbook, but it served the purpose well, as it gave a comprehensive background.

A bit denser and more geared towards our economy, there is Economic History of Puerto Rico by James Dietz. I think the history of our economy says a great deal about our history as a whole.

A lot of the other books I can think of are meant for someone with a bit more knowledge and grasp of the socio-cultural situation in the island, and sometimes they come packed with some baggage. So I hesitate to recommend them to someone just starting out.

I am puertorriqueña, feel free to mefi-mail me. PR and its history is one of my favorite subjects. :)
posted by DrGirlfriend at 10:50 AM on January 9, 2008 [1 favorite]

You might check out America's Colony by Pedro Malavet.
posted by mattbucher at 11:32 AM on January 9, 2008 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks very much DrGirlfriend and mattbucher. I'll check these out.
posted by philmas at 7:17 AM on January 10, 2008