Description
Book SynopsisOver the past fifty years, Puerto Rican voters have roundly rejected any calls for national independence. Yet the rhetoric and iconography of independence have been defining features of Puerto Rican literature and culture. In this provocative new book, María Acosta Cruz investigates the roots and effects of this profound disconnect between cultural fantasy and political reality.
Trade Review"No other book weaves together so beautifully and completely the political, historical, social, economic, and cultural threads which make up the tapestry of Puerto Rican nationalism. Graceful, thought provoking, and deeply learned,
Dream Nation will certainly have a lasting impact." -- Frederick Luis Aldama * author of A Concise History of Latino/a Literature *
"Gutsy and provocative,
Dream Nation explores the 'semantics of desire' of colonial tropes of independence, challenging readers to probe and explicate the gaping abyss between yearning and fulfillment in identity politics."
-- Ivette Romero * author of Repeating Islands: Displacements and Transformations in Caribbean Cultures *
"An excellent book and an engrossing read. Highly recommended." * Choice *
Table of ContentsPreface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Literary Tradition and the Canon of Independence
2. Breaking Tradition
3. From the Lush Land to the Traffic Jam
4. Dream History, Dream Nation
5. Dreaming in Spanglish
Conclusion
Biographical Appendix
Notes
Works Cited
Index
