Former President of the Dominican Republic Juan Bosch adds to his awesome literary credentials with his latest work, De Cristóbal Colón a Fidel Castro. After the vitriolic Pentagonism, A Substitute for Imperialism (1968), an emotional expression decrying the spread of the United States military-industrial complex into Latin America, Bosch decided to expand his concept of pentagonismo into a concerted denunciation of imperialism.
The result was a lengthy consideration of the conflict between European and American power for conquest and territory in the Caribbean. Delineating the Caribbean area to exclude the Bahamas and other islands that might well have been included, Bosch begins with a broad historical approach to his main theme of imperialism. In elegant and often mellifluent Spanish prose, he deals with the colonial period rather traditionally. He covers Spanish, French, and other imperialist powers’ treatment of the Indians, Africans, and filibustered who ventured into the cockpit of the New World—the Caribbean.
Apparently, Bosch had free time and access to an extensive library while in exile in Spain. Thus, he realized the often held desire of many historians to write that definitive work in one’s special field of interest. It was an illusive and fleeting fancy for nineteenth-century gentlemen-scholars who filled volumes of epic, but oft-times pedantic compilations that few people have either the inclination or the fortitude to endure to the end. Occasionally exiled politicians like Bosch fall victim to this literary entrapment and produce a work that reflects upon all the major historical roots, investigates all the multifaceted ramifications, and contains all those ideas, notes, and concepts that were omitted from earlier works. The result is very similar to a mental purgative. When it might also justify a formerly held belief or vilify an enemy in the process, so much the better.
Yet fortunately for the general (Spanish-speaking) reader, Bosch is a polished and professional writer. From a literary point of view, reviewing Caribbean history with him is a distinct pleasure. His pervasive politicization does not overwhelmingly encroach upon the work until chapter twenty-four in “The Century of North American Imperialism.” With no sources presented, Bosch lambasts the latecomer to imperialism with questionable materials. About the only concession Bosch makes to Anglo traditionalism is the index at the end of the book, which is most appreciated in such a lengthy work.
There are numerous typographical errors, especially people’s names, that are more the fault of the publisher than the author. However, the author should have final review of his manuscript and eliminate these distractions. It has been most apparent in Bosch’s former works, and again in this one, that scant attention is paid to either correct spelling of names of historical figures or correct historical facts. Dates are often in error or quotations taken out of context. It is indeed unfortunate that Bosch could not have taken the additional time required to eliminate these shortcomings.
