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Milien's book goes beyond the headlines and the foreign, passive perspective on Haiti, offering a deep examination of the island nation's history, present, and future. The author explores the development and stifling of the Haitian national identity from its roots as a settlement of the Taíno people to its French and Spanish colonization, the slave revolt that led to its many firsts, the dictatorial years under the rule of Duvaliers and the Tonton Macoute, a return to democracy, and its path forward to liberation. The text describes not just the crucial moments of modern Haitian history but also its people, their culture and values, and how the direction of their nation is reflected (or rejected) in the hearts and minds of its citizens.
Readers also become acquainted with the authoritarian culture of fear that Haitians have had to endure, beginning with colonial slave-holders to more recent military coups, rigged elections, and foreign influence. The human rights issues facing the nation are highlighted, raising valid concerns and calling for treating the conditions in Haiti not as a national concern but as a humanitarian one in need of proper support and aid, rather than quick fixes and uneven attention. Concerns about governmental corruption, media bias and accuracy, and the right to protest will resonate with readers depending on their location and political stances, but will also show how the Haitian political climate is a real-world crisis demanding immediate action, not a threat or theoretical possibility.
Anyone who wants to know how people endure harsh governmental negligence and even hostility towards its citizens can find a first-hand example in this gripping consideration of Haitian life. The book's contents are prepared and presented in a logical order that lays the historical groundwork and identifies the major problems Haiti has faced and continues to face, yet each chapter reads as a stand-alone article. The author encourages readers interested in a specific topic to focus on that subject and use the rest of the book to fill in the gaps. Those with a general curiosity about the Haitian way of life will find that reading each chapter sequentially provides a comprehensive view, even across multiple readings. Citations and concepts from reports and other books on Haiti are also provided, giving readers even more opportunities to hear from a variety of voices and experts and to flesh out their research or interests fully.
While the number of setbacks and obstacles in Haiti's quest for democratic rule is numerous, the latter portion of the book also focuses on ways to correct this trend. Trading more in realism and pragmatism over idealism, the solutions and steps offered by the author feel attainable. There are even suggestions for non-Haitians to take to help create effective, lasting change through foreign aid and increased visibility and empathy toward Haiti.
The facts presented in this book can be found in many other writings on Haiti's history, but what makes this book unique and stand out from the crowd are the more intimate observations on what the average person living in Haiti experiences, from the modern Port-au-Prince resident to the millions living in remote rural conditions with almost no resources to their name. That human angle is what makes these arguments so much more compelling. This book is a fascinating read for those interested in modern history and politics.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review