Why the Cocks Fight: Dominicans, Haitians, and the Struggle for Hispaniola

East vs West---Or a real life Westside story. The author did a superb job enhancing the two countries history as well as explaining how one country relied on the other for goods and services....Her background warrants why she writes so well on such a niche subject, a minuscule island with two countries. Michele used the strength of the Cock, to represent the many. She enhances the metaphor of cockfights to allow us the reader to see how societies still love to show power over another, a Machiavellian style still alive today. The ring, is the battle field. Like the Romans, the cocks wage war against another civilization. She also brings to the top the city of New York--How three countries forge into one. A terrific book, on a topic I was very unfamiliar with.

In reading this book, I learned many more things that I have not known. The island with all of it inhabitants shares a rich and tortured history. There seem to be many uncovered facts in this book, such as the Dominican Republic actually obtained it's Independence from Haiti, that Haiti actually took the steps that eventually liberated the entire island. Though much of the time seems to have been spent in the Dominican Republic with many oblique references to Haiti, a fair amount of that time illuminating the perverse dislike each has for the other, in some ways the idea of blaming the party that for obvious reasons is unable to counteract the argument. For the most part this book illuminates much more of the history between the Haitians and the Dominicans, more and more about the immigration issues that seem to rear its erstwhile head in many places, and why folks seem to be driven to improve upon their personal life spaces. How some of these enclaves come to be, and remain that way. Little is discussed about Arristede and many of his predecessors, the wasting of the land itself and how it came to be that many Haitians would eventually choose to live in the Dominican Republic or the United States, or why Haiti is the most impoverished country in this hemisphere by far.

As a high school teacher who leads extended service immersion programs in the Dominican Republic, I've placed this book on my regular reading list for our students. It is sophisticated but readable. The chapters are informative and interesting, and the anecdotal method of conveying important historical events is very effective. The book effectively dispels many of the misunderstandings and myths about Haiti, the DR, and the relationship between the two countries while clearly and objectively depicting several of the political and social upheavals that have defined the island's identity over the centuries.

A moderately useful study on the under-studied relationship between the two nations that inhabit Hispanola in the Caribbean.I was not overly impressed with the organization or lack thereof within this book. It's clear that the author is passionate about the topic, but much of that personal sentiment seeps into the text, making it less academic and more of a personal testament posing as academic study.It seems clear that the author is on the side of the Haitians, and the Haitian masses at that. But I feel that the understanding of the roots of the conflict, as well as more recent attempts to intermediate between the nations, has been largely overlooked.Not a horrible place to start, and a helpful source to begin understanding this dynamic.

Great book! Well-written and full of metaphore, this books describes even-handedly and captivatingly the sometimes-tenuous relationship between Haiti and the Dominican Republic as compared to two roosters in a cockfight. Book arrived quickly and is in good shape. Thank you for a great transaction!

Geertz symbolic views used. Sociocultural angles. Most new to me. No jargon. A plus.

Great read and great insight. The history of the island of Hispaniola is incredibly complex. I appreciate the writer's non-biased approach to the story. Definitely recommend.

One of the best books about the relationship between Haiti and the DR-the author clearly knows her stuff and portrays the relationship in a balanced and engaging manner.