Review: El Norte: The Epic and Forgotten Story of Hispanic North America

El Norte: The Epic and Forgotten Story of Hispanic North America by Carrie Gibson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In a timely and ambitious volume, Carrie Gibson has given us an alternate history of the United States from the perspective of the Spanish conquerors of the New World all the way to the present day, with the disjuncture in the American understanding of the Hispanic roots of this country. Gibson's work is impressive, examining both the early Spanish colonialism in America and the role of language and race. I'd encourage anyone who wants a better understanding of the Latino presence and influence in this country to check out this book, which is lengthy at 576 pages. Carefully researched and annotated, this is certainly a book of American history that will disabuse the reader of the idea that we presently have an invasion of Hispanic Americans. From Florida to South Carolina to New Mexico, California and Texas, you're bound to see that Hispanic America has been here for centuries, in concert with British and Dutch America.

A lengthy but rewarding non-fiction read. Get ready for next month, when I review the book everyone is talking about on PBS and NPR, David Wallace-Wells of The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming.

I received a copy of this book from Atlantic Monthly Press via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

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