The Disenchanted Island Puerto Rico and the United States in the Twentieth Century, Second Edition

Subjects:

• Political Science » American Politics/Government
• Multicultural Studies » Latin American Studies
• History » American History -- 1946 to Present
• History » American History -- 1900 to 1945

Reviews:

• The author of Los Macheteros: The Violent Struggle for Puerto Rican Independence here provides a well-written historical narrative of the island's political evolution vis-a-vis the United States from 1898 to the present. Fernandez argues that, despite slight modifications in the relationship, Puerto Rico remains dependent on the United States. Throughout, he introduces many interesting figures and offers perceptive insights into political and economic developments which have influenced the relationship, including the consequences of the Internal Revenue Service's decisions on resident and nonresident taxes and the gross ignorance of Harding appointee Governor Reilly, in the early 1920s. Highly recommended as a readable general overview.
  —Library Journal (previous edition) previous edition)
• A controversial, readable history.
  —World Affairs Council (about the previous edition)
• The Disenchanted Island is a well-written sociohistoric interpretation of relations between Puerto Rico and the United States in the twentieth century.
  —Latin American Research Review
• . . . one of those rare works which is genuinely useful to both scholars and general readers. This volume contains a significant amount of new insights and documentation, making it interesting to the specialist, while also providing enough background and clear analysis to educate those with little or no knowledge of Puerto Rican affairs . . . this volume makes an important contribution to our understanding of Puerto Rico's colonial dilemma.
  —Journal of Third World Studies (about the previous edition)

Table of Contents:

• Foreword by William M. Kunstler and Ronald L. Kuby
• Preface and Acknowldegments
• Puerto Rico: Prostrate and Paraylzed
• San Juan and Washington, Ponce and Boston
• Puerto Rico: The Permanent Possession
• King Monty
• Revolution and Reaction
• Prisoners of War
• Absolutely Clear
• Stink Bombs and Heart Attacks
• Continued Colonialism
• Epilogue
• Selected Bibliography
• Index