Showing titles in Caribbean & West Indies

For over sixty years, the United States tried everything to bring Cuba to its knees. Invasions, embargoes, sabotage, propaganda, and over six hundred assassination attempts. None of it worked. This is the story of how a small Caribbean island became the Cold War’s most defiant survivor. From the sugar empire and Mafia casinos to the rise of Fidel Castro and the missile crisis that nearly ended the world, this book traces the full arc of Cuba’s revolutionary saga and the decades-long grudge match with the most powerful nation on Earth.

Fidel Castro is probably the most famous person in Cuba. His life was devoted to what he perceived to be a righteous cause for equality and freedom from erroneous ideologies. He led people in the revolution, made a difference in the Cold War in decisions that concerned communism, Marxism, and other economic structures, and he finally became the president of Cuba, until he passed away not too long ago. Whether you like him or not, it’s definitely interesting to learn more about what made Fidel Castro so influential, and why he remained the president of his home country for so long.

The Haitian Revolution has played a big role in the history of abolishing slavery. Its significant influence on the Civil War in the United States in the 1860s has probably been underestimated by many. The English and French already had conflicts elsewhere, and the Napoleonic Wars greatly contributed to these. Aside from that, the nation of Haiti was still in its early stages, with plantations populated by African slaves the settlers had captured and brought into servitude. Abuse and exploitation were common in many people’s lives, but the Haitian Revolution brought many changes.

Join the journey to understand how historical decisions continue to shape modern debates over Puerto Rico’s status, economy, and identity. Citizens Without a Country is essential for anyone who wants to try to grasp the complexity of the U.S.-Puerto Rico relations and reflect on broader issues of citizenship and equality in America.

Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, was the most feared pirate of the Golden Age—a towering figure who struck terror into the hearts of sailors from the Caribbean to the Carolinas. Most biographies seem to start and stop with that statement, but there was much more to the life of Blackbeard than that, and much more to learn about the man behind history’s most fearsome pirate legend.

A hugely entertaining social history of the elite and exclusive Caribbean island of St. Barthélemy from the New York Times bestselling author of Model and 740 Park. St. Barthelemy is revered for its luxury, its stunning beaches and its VIP fans. Those who’ve either been there or hope to go...

Celebrating a decade of Columbia Global Reports, the Forerunners series revives groundbreaking works of investigative journalism and incisive analysis published a century before CGR’s founding. These texts, once forgotten or underexplored, reflect CGR’s core mission: fearless reporting...

The Story of Las Carpetas plunges readers into the hidden yet pervasive history of Puerto Rico’s surveillance era, a period where the government maintained secret "files" or "carpetas" on thousands of citizens. These files meticulously recorded personal, political, and cultural lives, leading to deep societal rifts and a legacy of fear and mistrust. Alex Alicea brings this dark chapter to life, beginning with a powerful narrative of María Rodriguez opening her file in 1987—a moment that forever altered her understanding of herself and her country.

In the early 16th century, Spanish adventurers swarmed over the islands of the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Portuguese explorers and merchants pushed into the Indian Ocean and beyond to the Spice Islands of the South Pacific. The names of the leaders of these overseas conquests are well known: Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, Hernando de Soto, Afonso de Albuquerque, and Ferdinand Magellan. This audiobook explores the details of their incredible lives in service of their monarchs and personal wealth.

In King of the Gunrunners, author James W. Miller reveals the untold story of a forgotten American whose adventures helped pave the way for the United States' emergence as an international power. This volume presents the story of Hart, the defiant king of the Cuban gunrunners, who prolonged a revolution, provoked a war, and left an indelible mark on history.

From 1845 to 1865 the Gulf of Mexico was at the center of American expansion and southern imperialism. A Continuous State of War tells the story of several communities as well as countries such as Mexico and Cuba, to uncover the way that wars within the upper rim of the Gulf of Mexico facilitated American and southern attempts to conquer Latin American nations. In the push for westward expansion that preceded the Civil War, white southerners along with other Americans engaged in violent conquest in Latin America and the American West. 

Esta es una historia mínima de un fenómeno complejo y cambiante, en un periodo de dos décadas, llamado Revolución cubana. Mínima historia, en el sentido que dio a estos términos el historiador mexicano Daniel Cosío Villegas, allá por los...

Este libro conjuga en breve síntesis el análisis de problemas fundamentales de la historia de Cuba con la información indispensable para comprender su peculiar evolución. Desde una perspectiva de "larga duración", el pasado cubano es examinado en sus...

Enthralling History offers a vivid dive into the revolutionary turmoil that changed the world. Discover the fiery spirit of a nation forged in rebellion and the heroes who led the charge toward freedom.

Journey into the heart of Puerto Rico's extraordinary history in "Boricua! The History and Future of Puerto Rico," by Donald Elton. From the rich, often overlooked story of the indigenous Taíno civilization, through the brutal conquest by Spain and complex dynamics with the United States, this riveting book paints a nuanced portrait of a people whose identity has been shaped by resilience and resistance.

Based on actual events spanning forty years, this story is about the relentless struggle of a family’s search for freedom, the Great Seven Fidel Castro’s inner circle, and an epic adventure driven by a passionate love relationship set in pre- and post-Revolutionary Cuba. The love story is the main impetus of this chronicle. Pepe, the only survivor of the inner circle to escape several assassination attempts, is forced to leave his family and his fiancée (Alicia) in Cuba. Alicia, who is carrying his unborn child, conceals her pregnancy to ensure Pepe’s immediate departure to safety.

The history of Sephardi Pirates is intricately woven into the fabric of the Caribbean's maritime history, particularly during the age of piracy. In the Caribbean, Sephardi Jews played a vital role in the burgeoning trade networks that characterized the region during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Dive into the untold story of the Taíno people, the original inhabitants of Puerto Rico. "Echoes of the Taíno" transports listeners to an era before colonization, where rich traditions, spirituality, and resilient culture thrived in the heart of the Caribbean. Through vivid storytelling, this book unravels the profound connection between the Taíno people and the lush, breathtaking island of Borikén.

Behind the familiar yellow banana lies a story of power, greed, and violence that shaped the modern world. Bloody Bananas uncovers the hidden history of the United Fruit Company — later known as Chiquita Brands International — and its role in creating the concept of the “banana republic.”

¿Cómo narrar el final de uno de los procesos políticos más relevantes ocurridos en Latinoamérica? ¿Qué registrar cuando se visita una isla donde se cede lentamente el paso a la modernización? Ambas preguntas remiten a una cuestión...