A Continent Of Islands Searching For The Caribbean Destiny

by Kurlansky, Mark

• ISBN13: 9780201622317
• ISBN10: 0201622319
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1993-03-21
• Publisher: Da Capo Press

Summary

In this richly detailed portrait of the individual countries and peoples of the Caribbean, Mark Kurlansky brings to life a society and culture often kept hidden from foreignersthe arts, history, politics, and economics of the region, as well as the vivid day-to-day lives of its citizens. From the Newyoriccans of Levittown, Puerto Rico; to the state-salaried popular musicians of Cuba; to the practitioners of good political hurricanemanship (who know how to stretch statistics to bring in relief funds),A Continent of Islandspaints portraits that will prove equally fascinating to tourists who know the Caribbean only as a string of beach resorts, and to readers curious about U.S. efforts to influence its neighbors.

Author Biography

Mark Kurlansky has reported on the Caribbean for the Chicago Tribune, The New York Times Magazine, and many other publications.

Table of Contents

Introduction	vii
The Curse	1	(7)
The Problem with History	8	(23)
Old Gods and Satellite Dishes	31	(9)
Color-Coded Nations	40	(22)
Sacrifice and the Revolution	62	(8)
Why Damballah Left	70	(24)
Bajan Burgers	94	(6)
Prophets and Profits	100	(23)
The Goats, the Sheep, and the Ugly Time	123	(10)
Two Ways of Looking at It	133	(20)
A Hint of Vanilla	153	(6)
Too Strong a Word	159	(21)
The Good Election	180	(8)
Death by Pepper Sauce	188	(22)
The Tenth Man	210	(8)
The Diaspora	218	(22)
Don Pedro in Levittown	240	(7)
The Cookie Theory of Underdevelopment	247	(22)
In Search of France	269	(6)
History Returns	275	(22)
The Continent (Table)	297	(3)
Suggested Reading	300	(11)
Acknowledgments	311	(2)
Credits	313	(2)
Index	315