Literary Nonfiction. Latino/Latina Studies. Translated from the Spanish by Aoife Rivera Serrano. The first and only English translation of the Latin American classic, INSULARISMO, the first book to critique the primary influences that shaped Puerto Rican culture and the Puerto Rican character. Considered to be the most influential book ever penned on the Puerto Rican experience, it is seen as the most controversial product of Puerto Rican discourse in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion. The questions and issues Pedreira raised still beg to be addressed today. A subjective primer, it was written by the benchmark critic of his generation, on the Latin Americans who constituted the first great wave of Spanish-speaking immigrants to the eastern United States. INSULARISMO is a canonical text that is an important contribution to the ongoing debate, not just on Puerto Rican politics and culture but on the culture and politics of our hemisphere.

Author City: San Juan PUE

Antonio S. Pedreira (1899-1939) was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A prolific writer, social critic and educator, he remains the most frequently cited author in any analysis regarding the ethos of the Caribbean island nation.