Meléndez-Badillo delves into the history of Puerto Rico from its precolony days to the twenty-first century. Relying on a wide array of sources, including interviews and family stories, he portrays the long, and sometimes tortured, history of conquest, resistance, and division on the island—and the ways that Puerto Ricans have negotiated colonialisms with and against a string of imperial overlords. Puerto Ricans have often differed over the meaning of independence and the best way to accomplish autonomy, with one side arguing for US statehood and the other national sovereignty. No matter their position, Puerto Ricans have shown spirit and courage, and to this day, they fight to control their way of life and economic and political livelihood.

Meléndez-Badillo’s book provides a compelling narrative of the archipelago’s rich history over the course of roughly three sections. He begins with an examination of the early indigenous groups who migrated to the region some 6,000 years ago and ends with an account of the current neglect that the island’s contemporary occupier, the United States, has inflicted on the Puerto Rican people. The first five chapters cover the period before the Spanish defeat and US occupation. Chapters 6–9 explore the process of negotiating US colonialism(s). Chapters 10–15 then look at the resurgence of a strong independence movement. The complex development of identity is a central theme in the text, and to get at this, Meléndez-Badillo weaves the influences that indigenous peoples, Spain, and the United States have had on the island. He also underscores the complicated impact and interconnectedness of xenophobia, racism, Americanization, and diaspora on national and ethnic distinctiveness. He points to the geopolitical significance of the archipelago and the ongoing interest of the United States in dominating the region since the nineteenth century. Meléndez-Badillo does an excellent job of tracing Puerto Rico’s social, political, cultural, and economic history, but for this reader, the book’s most important contribution lies in the author’s ability to situate the country within its current colonial moment. As the Meléndez-Badillo writes: “As many Puerto Ricans struggle to survive or make ends meet, a new class of wealthy U.S. foreigners has arrived…dream[ing] of creating utopic projects based on crypto currencies. For many in Puerto Rico, as the messages spray-painted with graffiti through the streets of San Juan attest, this is just another form of colonialism” (205).

Meléndez-Badillo spends a considerable amount of time on the twenty-first century, unraveling the enduring debates over Puerto Rico’s future and revealing the re-emergence of an independence movement, as well as the internal tensions and pressures between those who seek statehood and those who desire complete independence and sovereignty. He adds dimension to the island’s history by incorporating personal and family stories characteristic of the contemporary Puerto Rican experience. What is more, he demonstrates how many Puerto Ricans are torn over the question of whether they should remain loyal to their country against the corruption of the United States and its Puerto Rican allies and the harsh reality of US support and migration for economic viability. In the book’s final chapters, Meléndez-Badillo does not rely solely on the voices of the traditional elite or organized labor but expands his narrative by foregrounding a broad spectrum of new activists, including women, non-unionized workers, LGTBQ alliances, and students.

A professor of Latin American and Caribbean history at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Meléndez-Badillo himself is a product of the Puerto Rican diaspora, and he chronicles a deeply personal look at a torn nation. He expertly portrays the never-ending morass of US colonialism and the resilience of the Puerto Rican people. This work is a primer that can be used in a wide range of history courses. I only wish that it would have ended on a more optimistic note. Meléndez-Badillo sees a bleak future for Puerto Ricans, who must continue to rely heavily on the United States for financial stability.