What would the island of Hispaniola look like if viewed as a loosely connected system? That is the question Haitian-Dominican Counterpoint seeks to answer as it surveys the insular space shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic throughout their parallel histories. For beneath the familiar tale of hostilities, the systemic perspective reveals a lesser-known, "unitarian" narrative of interdependencies and reciprocal influences shaping each country'sidentity. In view of the sociocultural and economic linkages connecting thetwo countries, their relations would have to resemble not so much acockfight (the conventional metaphor) as a serial and polyrhythmic counterpoint.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book--too bad it costs so muchApril 16, 2004 Daniel J. O'Neil(Santo Domingo) 2 out of 3 found this review helpful
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.
