Publisher description
One hundred and fifty years after its first publication, this thrilling
document remains one of the most important sources for the study of
19th-century Cuba and especially of slavery in the Caribbean. Cubans celebrate
Humboldt as the second "discoverer" of the island, after Columbus, and the
publication history of this book is a mirror of Cuba's history. It was
translated into several languages and two editions stood out: The Spanish
version was banned in colonial Cuba and the American copy created a diplomatic
incident. The translator, J.S. Thrasher, called openly for the American
annexation of Cuba. He also deleted a chapter in which Humboldt condemned
slavery in order to please the pro-slavery party. This new edition includes an
English translation of the missing chapter on slavery, the letter by Humboldt
complaining about the censorship and Thrasher's answer, which were both
published in the New York Daily Times, and Humboldt's controversial preface.
Luis Fernandez Martinez analysizes the publication history of Humboldt's Cuba
work, including a politically-motivated edition published under Fidel Castro,
and emphasizes the Cuban point of view on Humboldt for the last 180 years. One hundred and fifty years after its publication, this document remains an
important source for the study of 19th-century Cuba and especially of slavery
in the Caribbean. This edition includes an English translation of the missing
chapter on slavery.
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The Island of Cuba: A Political Essay
Book reviews » The Island of Cuba: A Political Essay
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![Ambrose and Eleanor; or The adventures of two children, deserted on an uninhabited island. (Translated from the French.) [One line of quotation] To which ... real history. By Miss Helen Maria Williams](https://coverdb.com/reviewUK/w90/7ec/1140970895.jpg)
