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Here: A Biography of the New American Continent
Offers a look at how Canada, the United States, and Mexico have diverged politically and culturally despite their shared roots and similar backgrounds.
- GenresNonfictionHistoryCanada
400 pages, Hardcover
First published May 29, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 9, 2018
The subtitle of this book I think is a bit misleading. Instead of "A Biography of the New American Continent," I think a more suitable subtitle would have been something like "a political observation of the relationship between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It does go into some historical context but not nearly as much as I expected. As I got over the fact that this book is not really a Biography but an observation, I think it fairly assess the relationship the 3 nations have with one another. It is interesting to read this book 17 years after it was published, as many of the same issues and concerns are still relevant.
May 16, 2014
Children of One Continent
This review is from: Here: A Biography of the New American Continent (Hardcover)
DePalma evaluates the common historical experiences of the cultural and political entities that make up the North American Continent. He likewise analyzes the similarities and differences between the three large geo-political entities of Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Multi-Level Relationships
DePalma skillfully considers the dynamics involved in the question of the geographical implications of the term "North American" versus the cultural and political ones. He surveys the history of their societies and their politics, as well as the religious history of each entity and their complex interplay and multi-level relationships through history and currently.
DePalma speaks out of an Italian-American background as an American journalist with an academic style. He has lived in Mexico with his Cuban-American wife. They also lived in Canada, where DePalma served as the Director of the New York Times' Canadian bureau. DePalma himself traveled to far reaches and isolated locales in the great Canadian territories to learn about local culture, ethnicity, political views and economic patterns.
Common Origins
His astute observation and facile analytical ability have enabled him to present here an understandable three-dimensional portrait of the broad tapestry of communities in the three geographical North American giants. With the sweeping changes pressed upon us in recent decades, the three countries often thought of as divided by continent-wide borders are now seen as three descendants of an early mix of invaders and indigenous, with different approaches to the somewhat common problems of their troubled heritage.
I especially appreciated DePalma's ability to weave a tight multi-layered view between the events and trends of the past with the confusing rapid-fire of change in our recent era. His presentation of the history of NAFTA is helpful, his analysis providing insights into the problems and the benefits of this complex agreement between the three great North American neighbors.
Different Identities
In regard to that designation as North Americans, DePalma hands us an updated portrait of the struggle for identity involved in this friendly yet antagonistic relationships across the borders north and south of the United States. As DePalma spins out the personal stories of the political and economic movers in the history of Mexico, Canada and the US, this sounds at times like a novel of international intrigue.
There is life and fire in the story, readable as a political or economic analysis or simply as a fascinating human drama. This is a fascinating cultural and economic analysis. Any reader will learn a great deal of fact as well as perspective from a new comparative point of view, which is both analytical and sympathetic.
DePalma writes between the expected lines of standard academic disciplines, with the authoritative flavour of personal relationships and astute academic investigation and analysis.
This review is from: Here: A Biography of the New American Continent (Hardcover)
DePalma evaluates the common historical experiences of the cultural and political entities that make up the North American Continent. He likewise analyzes the similarities and differences between the three large geo-political entities of Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Multi-Level Relationships
DePalma skillfully considers the dynamics involved in the question of the geographical implications of the term "North American" versus the cultural and political ones. He surveys the history of their societies and their politics, as well as the religious history of each entity and their complex interplay and multi-level relationships through history and currently.
DePalma speaks out of an Italian-American background as an American journalist with an academic style. He has lived in Mexico with his Cuban-American wife. They also lived in Canada, where DePalma served as the Director of the New York Times' Canadian bureau. DePalma himself traveled to far reaches and isolated locales in the great Canadian territories to learn about local culture, ethnicity, political views and economic patterns.
Common Origins
His astute observation and facile analytical ability have enabled him to present here an understandable three-dimensional portrait of the broad tapestry of communities in the three geographical North American giants. With the sweeping changes pressed upon us in recent decades, the three countries often thought of as divided by continent-wide borders are now seen as three descendants of an early mix of invaders and indigenous, with different approaches to the somewhat common problems of their troubled heritage.
I especially appreciated DePalma's ability to weave a tight multi-layered view between the events and trends of the past with the confusing rapid-fire of change in our recent era. His presentation of the history of NAFTA is helpful, his analysis providing insights into the problems and the benefits of this complex agreement between the three great North American neighbors.
Different Identities
In regard to that designation as North Americans, DePalma hands us an updated portrait of the struggle for identity involved in this friendly yet antagonistic relationships across the borders north and south of the United States. As DePalma spins out the personal stories of the political and economic movers in the history of Mexico, Canada and the US, this sounds at times like a novel of international intrigue.
There is life and fire in the story, readable as a political or economic analysis or simply as a fascinating human drama. This is a fascinating cultural and economic analysis. Any reader will learn a great deal of fact as well as perspective from a new comparative point of view, which is both analytical and sympathetic.
DePalma writes between the expected lines of standard academic disciplines, with the authoritative flavour of personal relationships and astute academic investigation and analysis.
August 7, 2010
I've always wondered why it is that the label "American" tends to be applied specifically (and exclusively) to residents of the United States. What about Canadians or Mexicans? (Not to mention: Guatemalans/Costa Ricans/Venezuelans/Brazilians...???) DePalma explores the political history and cultural psychology that underlies that descriptive bias, and in doing so we're led through a kaleidoscope of interconnected actions that contribute to the North America we see today.
A word of warning: the historical detail can become somewhat overwhelming, even when DePalma follows relatively recent events of the 1980's and 1990's. As a New York Times correspondent in Mexico and Canada during this time, DePalma gained firsthand experience as events unfolded. The maneuvers that bring about political events tend to be complex, and sometimes confounding at a cursory level. Only by delving into the underlying details can sense be made of the seemingly contradictory actions and statements presented in the news.
A word of warning: the historical detail can become somewhat overwhelming, even when DePalma follows relatively recent events of the 1980's and 1990's. As a New York Times correspondent in Mexico and Canada during this time, DePalma gained firsthand experience as events unfolded. The maneuvers that bring about political events tend to be complex, and sometimes confounding at a cursory level. Only by delving into the underlying details can sense be made of the seemingly contradictory actions and statements presented in the news.
November 25, 2008
As a New York Times correspondent Anthony DePalma had a unique opportunity during the late nineties to witness first-hand, the creation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. He presents a fascinating story of it’s creation by taking the reader on a trip through the history of the North American continent, highlighting the similarities and differences of the people who live here and have lived here in the past. His optimism for the successful impact of the agreement is still nascent but after nine-eleven and the present state of the world economy, it seems to be temporarily in suspension.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews