Reviews (8)

Definitely worth the read!
'The Last Playboy' gives an in depth look at the exciting party life of Porfirio Rubirosa. In his day he was perhaps the world's premiere ladies' man --- a Cassanova of modern times. Married to two of the richest women in the world along with 3 other women during his life this didn't stop him from dating such Hollywood starlets as Zsa Zsa Gabor & Ava Gardner among hundreds of other women. His polo playing, jet setting, drinking, womanizing and car racing were offset only by his work for Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo as a diplomat whose daughter he also married. Mega bucks from many of these women fueled his non-stop party lifestyle until he wrapped his Ferrari around a tree near his home in France at the age of 56. This book also details his friendships with the Kennedy's, Frank Sinatra and other luminaries of that era. This is a high-flying page turner of a biography that really delivers the goods.

Enticing
A page turner; couldn't put it down. Someone needs to seriously make this a movie !

A little less tabloid writing, please!
The book covers a fascinating subject because Porfirio Rubirosa was among the top playboys of his day. However, the writing style of author Shawn Levy is of the tabloid variety with little to back his ever-present purported subjective hypothesis and lame attempts at humor.A straightforward biography with fleshed-out facts would have been far more appreciated by this reader than the filler that comprised most of the book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1909-1965    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Caribbean & West Indies - General    7. Diplomatic Service    8. Diplomats    9. Dominican Republic    10. General    11. Historical - General    12. Relations with women    13. Rich & Famous    14. Rubirosa, Porfirio,    15. Biography & Autobiography / General   

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Archaeology    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Caribbean & West Indies - General    5. Dominican Republic    6. Ethnic Studies - Native American Studies    7. Excavations (Archaeology)    8. First contact with Europeans    9. Historical Archaeology    10. History    11. Indians    12. La Isabela (Dominican Republic    13. Native American Archaeology    14. Social Science    15. Sociology    16. Spaniards    17. History / Caribbean & West Indies   

Reviews (1)

A Tremendous Example of Historical Research
I read it in three days.Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies - General    2. Caribbean Area - History    3. Colonization    4. Columbus, Christopher    5. Discovery And Exploration (General)    6. Dominican Republic    7. Expeditions & Discoveries    8. First contact with Europeans    9. General    10. History    11. History - General History    12. History: American    13. Homes and haunts    14. Indians    15. La Isabela    16. La Isabela (Dominican Republic    17. La Isabela (Dominican Republic)    18. World - Colonial Studies    19. American history: pre-Columbian period, BCE to c 1500    20. Archaeology    21. Caribbean islands    22. Colonization & independence    23. History / Caribbean & West Indies    24. The Americas    25. c 1000 CE to c 1500   

Reviews (3)

Elementary school level
I ordered this book because I thought it would provide an introduction to the politics of the Dominican Republic. When I got it, it reminded me more of a mixture between a tacky guidebook and an elementary school social science book. It does present some insight into the historical, economical and political conditions of the country, some of them even differing from the mainstream image, but it is all very limited in scope and not very useful. If you want a guidebook, I'd suggest Lonely Planet a million times before this one. When it comes to a political review of the country, I have unfortunately had difficulties in finding one. But surfing the web for a couple of hours will certainly provide more useful information than a copy of this book.

Facinating
This book is a much needed new insight on Dominican Republic where I travelled a lot a few years ago.It is very interesting situation with haiti and the author adresses cultural issues sensitively butinformatively.The book is very easily to read and has a good order.

Summary
This book has dealt well with subjects like the economy, politics, and local places to visit.Unfortunately, I found the information on the history and cultural identity of the Dominicans to be lacking information.For example, When Howard spoke too briefly of the Taino Indiansor howthe Dominicans have a need to be more "Indian". He was totallyincorrect.The author does not hold a strong enough argument or facts tosupport this. He leaves the reader with much confusion about the Dominicanidentity. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Caribbean & West Indies - General    3. Central America    4. Central America - History    5. Description And Travel    6. Dominican Republic    7. Guidebooks    8. Travel    9. Travel - Foreign    10. Cultural studies    11. Economics, Finance, Business and Industry    12. Historical geography    13. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Reviews (7)

What the Hispanic-American historical review thinks of the book
"Frank Moya Pons is the best-known contemporary Dominican historian. The author of many books and articles, he is a recognized scholar both at home and abroad. Moya Pons latest book is based on his well-known Manual de historia dominicana (1992), now in its tenth edition and considered a basic text in Dominican historiography. But his new book is more than a simple translation of the old classic; it is a revised and expanded edition, with new sections, detailed historical maps, and a comprehensive bibliographic essay.
dominican republic...a history
The book is well documented and is one of the classics in the discovery of America.
Magnificent account of a proud country's history!!!!!
Dominican writer Frank Moya Pons presents great insight into the historical, economical and political conditions of the Dominican Republic in a clear and concise way.Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies - General    2. Dominican Republic    3. History    4. History: World    5. 20th century    6. American history    7. American studies   

Subjects:  1. Dominican Republic    2. General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. Relations    6. Revolution, 1965    7. U.S. - Latin America Relations    8. United States   

Reviews (6)

Detailed and well researched, but dated
I'm glad to have gotten this book, but the cover photo of Raulin Rodriguez is somewhat misleading.I'm a huge fan of Raulin and I was hoping to read more about his impact on the popularity of the Bachata in the DR.There is still a lot of stigma attached to the Bachata as music suited for bothels and shantytowns and the emergence of Raulin and Antony Santos has done much to make this form of music legit in the public view. The bachata of today is very different than the political songs described in the book.It also seems to me that most of the research took place in the Santo Domingo area rather than on the north coast where the Bachata is far more popular.Just as you wouldn't research country music in NYC, it seems odd to research the Bachata in the DR's largest city.A full follow-up book on the Bachata of today would be great that includes the Americanization of the form by such groups as Aventura and the current complexity of the music's guitar form.

AMAZINGLY DETAILED HISTORY OF BACHATA MUSIC
Deborah Pacini Hernandez offers an excellently researched, intelligently written, and amazingly detailed history of the Dominican Republic's Bachata music.Be forewarned ... this is not an easy book to read; this is not a glib magazine article with a superficial history of Bachata.On the contrary, Ms. Hernandez analyzes the growth of Bachata from a socio-economic / political and cultural point of view and her discussions andoverall presentation often read like a doctoral dissertation. curioso e interesante
Un curioso estudio, un libro de bachata. La primera vez que lo vi no me anime a leerlo. Pens� como todo mal dominicano con el complejo de gazcue que un libro sobre una m�sica que no me gusta no merec�a que le dedicara tiempo. Tuvo que pasar un a�o y un despertar de mi entendimiento para saber que no importa que la m�sica no me guste o que sea de clase baja o que sea vulgar y yo solo escuche m�sica cl�sica o rock; lo importante es que es nuestra m�sica, nuestra identidad nos guste o no. El libro como una disecci�n cuidadosamente hecha por una antrop�loga trata el tema no con la frialdad de un descubrimiento arqueol�gico sino con la calidez de un tema humano, bueno con toda la calidez que puede hacerlo una norteamericana. Ella trata el tema de la bachata desde la historia de la etimolog�a de la palabra. No sabia y ahora s� que la palabra bachata significa jolgorio, reuni�n en que las personas tocan m�sica con guitarras. Las influencias de la bachata seg�n la autora provienen de cuba.Read more

Subjects:  1. Bachata    2. Dominican Republic    3. Ethnic    4. Ethnomusicology    5. Genres & Styles - Pop Vocal    6. History and criticism    7. Music    8. Music/Songbooks    9. Popular music    10. Social conditions    11. 20th century music    12. Rock & pop    13. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (6)

Sugarball: The American Game: The Dominican Dream
In Sugarball, author Alan Klein attempts to draw on the complicated relationship between baseball in the United States and the Dominican Republic by equating it to that of a neocolonial power to its subordinate nation.In the same way that all the resources are tapped from the underdeveloped nation and utilized by the parent, the United States has exploited the Dominican Republic's most lucrative export, baseball players.The exchange has become institutionalized and the top players from the Dominican leagues major aim is to move into the Major League Baseball system, leaving the economic desolation of home and depleting the nation's culture. Sugarball
In Sugarball, Klein examines the role of baseball in the Dominican Republic with all its cultural and economic importance, and specifically the part it plays in the hegemony and cultural resistance of the Dominicans in relation to the United States.Not only are there extensive arguments for these cultural implications, but Klein also focuses greatly on the history and culture of Dominican baseball by itself. He gives a clear picture of what baseball means there through extensive research and observations of life in the Dominican Republic.Filled with quotes and interviews of various people, as well as statistics and historical facts about Dominican baseball, this study clearly reflects the sociology and anthropology of sport as an emerging legitimate field. It's more than a game
This book, Sugarball, dives in and explores the relation that the people of the Dominican Republic have with United States in the context of baseball. The author, Alan Klein, argues that the Dominican Republic is a country underdeveloped, exploited, abused, ravaged in poverty, destitution, and most importantly inundated with American culture; but yet still finds a way to express their independence and nationality through baseball. He further argues that Dominican Baseball, though an American game with American influences has managed to survive with a distinctly Dominican feel; and this feeling is a source of resistance to American hegemony. Read more

Subjects:  1. Baseball    2. Baseball - History    3. Dominican Republic    4. Political aspects    5. Social aspects    6. Social life and customs    7. Sociology    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Sports & Recreation / Baseball / History   

Reviews (14)

Impartial Scholar or Useful Idiot?
This book is also published by a government press in Cuba, to which the author donated the rights. The book launch was attended by all members of the Communist Party of Cuba's Political Bureau. Any of you "Useful Idiots" who think Gleijeses is an impartial scholar should put your money where your mouth is and apply for a teaching post in Havana. I'm sure the academic freedom you will enjoy will greatly exceed anything you've experienced in the decadent United States.

An important contribution to Cold War History
CONFLICTING MISSIONS is a brilliant, impressive, and important book.It not only teaches us about the dramatic differences between US and Cuban policies in Africa during the Cold War (until 1976), but it also stretches our minds to see the Cold War "from below."Virtually all Cold War history has been written from the US (or Western)perspective, based on US archives.Gleijeses is the only scholar to have gained access to the Cuban archives; the result is that CONFLICTING MISSIONS contains not only new information but also a new perspective.Gleijeses challenges the reader to reconsider established truths.In his narrative -- which is voluminously supported by research not only in Cuba but also in US, Belgian, West German, East German, and British archives, as well as almost 200 interviews -- Fidel Castro, not the Americans, is shown to be the leader pursuing an idealistic foreign policy.
You gotta read this book:
From page 271,
Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa - General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. International Relations - General    6. Latin America - General    7. Africa    8. American history: from c 1900 -    9. Argentina; Bolivia; Canada; Chile; Cuba; Dominican Republic; Latin America; Mexico; United States; Venezuela; Azores; Belgium; Czechoslovakia; England; Federal Republic of Germany; France; Gern Democratic Republic; Portugal; Spain; Soviet Union; Sweden; Y    10. Central government policies    11. Cuba    12. History / Latin America    13. International relations    14. USA   

Subjects:  1. Baseball    2. Baseball - History    3. Dominican Republic    4. History    5. Sports    6. Sports & Recreation   

Subjects:  1. Africa - General    2. Antislavery movements    3. Caribbean & West Indies - General    4. Dominican Republic    5. Europe - France    6. France    7. General    8. History    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Santo Domingo    11. Sociology   

Reviews (1)

Excellent book--too bad it costs so much
Dr. Matibag has written an excellent overview of the history of the Haitian-Dominican border. It helps dispel many of the myths held by either side such as the myth that the Massacre River was named after the massacre of Haitians in 1937 (the river was so named in 1728). The book is well-written and informative. Too bad that it is so expensive. My only complaint is that it needs to have maps showing where events took place and how the borders changed, but adding maps would probably have made it even more expensive. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies - General    2. Dominican Republic    3. General    4. Haiti    5. History    6. History - General History    7. International Relations - General    8. Minority Studies - Race Relations    9. Political Science    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Relations   

Reviews (1)

Dominicans within US Hegemony
Atkins and Wilson's latest work is the zenith of a long first-class collaboration in the area of US-Dominican history.Their vast inside-knowledge and accessibility to sources and personalities is what fewscholars achieve, but most want.Probably because of it, this book appearsto fit in the center of Dominican historiography.The authors managed toquote a variety of authors extensively, without directly putting schools ofthought against each other.Indeed, the book's theoretical structure doesnot fit perfectly neither with the classical diffusionist-modernizationschool nor with dependencism, much less with post-structuralism.The bookis honest about US imperialism, racism, greed, and highlights the role ofNorth American evils.Actually, the reader might get the impression of animperial confession in the company of a genuine effort to understand thecontext of US and Dominican relations-a progressive approach!This feelingis reinforced by an attempt on the authors to include cultural elementsinto what is, basically, a political and diplomatic history. They havesections about identity, cultural exchange, baseball, race and society.Intheir stories, the reader will find examples (albeit short and sketchy) ofhow Dominican people and governments have adapted to adverse circumstances,how they have manipulated powerful nations despite their size, and how theyhave resisted oppression admirably.We certainly needed an attempt toexhaustively cover the US involvement in Dominican territory.Moreover,notwithstanding that Balaguer and Trujillo's treatments are the best byfar, both authors touch on all the high points, most of the middle ones,and even some less celebrated aspects of Dominican history since the 19thcentury.And despite the heavy use of passive voice on the first twochapters, the organization of the book makes it easy reading forundergraduates. In their efforts to bring an inclusive coverage of theUS-Dominican relations, Atkins and Wilson went back to early colonialperiods.The readers learn how the island evolved to include twocountries, and how Haiti's slave revolution helped determine the future ofthe entire island.The book also highlights the importance of the periodup to General Ulises "Lil�s" Heureaux, when Dominicans weretrying to identify themselves against Haitians, and how internationalpowers played an important role in shaping the country's history. Moreover, in order to understand US 20th century involvement in the islandthe book places crucial value to the events leading to the 1916intervention.Yet, despite the importance of the 19th century, the authorsrelied mostly on secondary sources to write these chapters.The focus ofthe book is clearly the 20th century.When Trujillo, Balaguer and currentpolitics is the subject, the reading is undeniably engaging.At thislevel, the authors provide solid support with primary sources for theirnarratives and arguments.These topics, after all, have been theirresearch interest for years, and have likewise attracted much attentionfrom the academic community. Curiously, qualitative attention to the 20thcentury may have shaped the book's main argument.Focus on the USnon-interventionist policy from the 1930s and again right after the 1965intervention (an "oops") may have suggested the writers thatNorth Americans have been doing their best in controlling their tendency tointroduce their legs in Dominican affairs.An apologetic bias (from theGreek "to defend" or "to explain out") that emergesfrom this approach is nowhere more evident than in their efforts to free asmuch as possible the US from the notorious responsibility of bringingTrujillo to power (59-64).If asked to summarize the message of this bookin two sentences, despite all the injustices that this entails, the answerby necessity will include a progressive dichotomy in North Americanimperialism.This reviewer' summary: The US acted imperialistically andintruded in Dominican Republic because of its perennial instability, itsfailure in making payments, its location within the North Americanperimeter of influence, and the numerous and constant internationalpressures (European involvement in Latin America, first and second WorldWars, the Cold War, the 1990s "Haitian problem" etc.).However,the circumstances since 1966 are not imperialistic since they do notinvolve direct policy intervention in Dominican affairs-and most Dominicansfeel comfortable with it!To most readers this might make plain sense, butto those with at least a small dose of Gramscian skepticism, this may soundas a new ingenious and accommodating strand of diffusionism, neo-liberalismor modernist approach to history. Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies - General    2. Dominican Republic    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. International Relations - General    6. Political Science    7. Relations    8. United States    9. United States - General    10. 20th century    11. American history: from c 1900 -    12. Cultural studies    13. Economic history    14. International relations    15. Political economy    16. Social history    17. USA    18. c 1800 to c 1900   

Subjects:  1. 1963-1969    2. Dominican Republic    3. Foreign relations    4. History    5. Military relations    6. Revolution, 1965    7. United States   

Reviews (25)

Historical and Cultural Jewel
This particular book by Professor Cambeira is truly a jewel in terms of its historical and cultural content and its unique treatment. Unlike any other book of this kind that I have read for its clarity in presentation. This is not your ordinary history textbook, but rather a highly personalized and lucid and informed interpretation of a community's evolution. I like how the Professor, who is Dominican, convinces the reader of his honesty. He says what many other Dominican writers don't say about our country, especially concerning certain questions of identity and the notion of inclusion in the formation of what we call dominicanidad. I also like the way Cambeira's writing style flows so gracefully. His nonfiction style is like his lyrical fiction that I found in his novels Azucar! The Story of Sugar and the sequel Azucar's Sweet Hope...Her Story Continues. Intelligent Focus
This definitely is a timely book with very valuable and insightful information given the current very tragic situation in the island shared by the two republics. Cambeira's intelligent focus and keen interpretation of the island's development in every sense helped me better understand especially the Dominican culture that most of us know so little about. I am sure many readers who are curious about Caribbean cultures will find this work extremely informative. Suggested Reading for a Popular Play
I am very impressed by this unusual perspective on Dominican history and culture by the Dominican writer Alan Cambeira. Cambeira's work is not your conventional history text. It reads more like an interest sustaining novel; It also presents some cultural aspects most writers on the subject usually omit or avoid altogether. I also found a surprising side issue: the theatrical version of Mario Vargas Llosa's La Fiesta Del Chivo (The Festival of the Goat) is in production by the well respected Repertorio Espanol and has an accompanying Study Guide done by Iliana Fuentes. I see that Ms Fuentes also lists Cambeira's book as a part of the suggested reading in this regard. To me, then, Cambeira has a winner. His book is definitely worth the read. ...Read more

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies - General    2. Civilization    3. Dominican Republic    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. American history    7. Cultural studies   

Subjects:  1. Birds    2. Birds & Birdwatching - General    3. Birds & Birdwatching - Guides    4. Dominican Republic    5. Haiti    6. Identification    7. Life Sciences - Zoology - Ornithology    8. Nature    9. Nature/Ecology    10. Biological Sciences    11. Birds & birdwatching    12. Birds (ornithology)    13. Birds and Natural History    14. Nature / Birds & Birdwatching   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Criticism - Other specific cultures    4. History - General    5. History - Modern   

Subjects:  1. Caribbean & West Indies    2. Caribbean & West Indies - General    3. History - General History    4. Personal Memoirs    5. Biography & Autobiography-Personal Memoirs    6. Dominican Republic    7. History / Caribbean & West Indies    8. History of other lands    9. Travel writing    10. Travel-Caribbean & West Indies    11. c 1980 to c 1990   

Subjects:  1. American history    2. Dominican Republic    3. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Reviews (2)

The Impact of Intervention
Updated and enlarged Paperback edition with a new introduction.
Learn From History
It's pretty depressing that this book is number 1,773,851 on the Amazon sales list.Let's see: Invade and occupy a country to bring it stability and democracy, provoke a stubborn insurgency, antagonize the populace, find it difficult to complete ambitious infrastructure plans, alienate your allies.Where have I heard this before?Let's hope the epilogue-- a 31-year rule by a brutal despot-- doesn't repeat as well. This is a superb treatment of the US occupation of the Dominican Republic that began in 1916; it's thorough, fair, and well-written.If more citizens--and more policy makers--read books such as this, America would be a humbler, wiser, and stronger country.Why has the Uiversity of Texas Press stopped printing it? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American occupation, 1916-1924    2. Caribbean Area - History    3. Diplomatic History    4. Dominican Republic    5. History    6. History: American    7. Caribbean islands    8. Diplomacy