El Norte

The Epic and Forgotten Story of Hispanic North America

De: Carrie Gibson

Narrado por: Thom Rivera

Because of our shared English language, as well as the celebrated origin tales of the Mayflower and the rebellion of the British colonies, the United States has prized its Anglo heritage above all others. However, as Carrie Gibson explains with great depth and clarity in El Norte, the nation has much older Spanish roots - ones that have long been unacknowledged or marginalized. The Hispanic past of the United States predates the arrival of the Pilgrims by a century, and has been every bit as important in shaping the nation as it exists today.

El Norte chronicles the sweeping and dramatic history of Hispanic North America from the arrival of the Spanish in the early 16th century to the present - from Ponce de Leon’s initial landing in Florida in 1513 to Spanish control of the vast Louisiana territory in 1762 to the Mexican-American War in 1846 and up to the more recent tragedy of post-hurricane Puerto Rico and the ongoing border acrimony with Mexico. Interwoven in this stirring narrative of events and people are cultural issues that have been there from the start but which are unresolved to this day: language, belonging, community, race, and nationality. Seeing them play out over centuries provides vital perspective at a time when it is urgently needed.

In 1883, Walt Whitman meditated on his country’s Spanish past: “We Americans have yet to really learn our own antecedents, and sort them, to unify them”, predicting that “to that composite American identity of the future, Spanish character will supply some of the most needed parts.” That future is here, and El Norte, a stirring and eventful history in its own right, will make a powerful impact on our national understanding.

©2019 Carrie Gibson (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

My take.

Quite awesome!
This a huge effort by the writer.
I just wish the reader was more adept at pronouncing spanish words with silent H vs non-silent. His rs also need help when single vs hard or double or at the start of the words.
Still worth the effort!

History Through The Eyes of Race

Every historical event in this book was colored by the bias of racial separation and oppression. Although I believe that was common, I cannot believe that was the primary and dominant motivation in all situations as the author suggests.

El norte.

Breath taking and casting an awareness of a history of Spanish colonialism in the americas. I recommend this book to anyone especially in states that border the southwest. It's historical contributions can help further help in understanding what it mea s to be Hispanic. Excellent read for anyone who loves history both modern and past.

Unbiased history of Latin America & its people

It was an extensive history. Leading to modern day. I recommend for anyone interested in understanding the full history of Latin America

A must for any Hispanic

I loved the chronological order of the chapters. It was great how Gibson managed to talked about the different Hispanics in different states and era in the United States.