Latino Almanac: From Early Explorers to Corporate Leaders

Abridging and completely updating his 1994 Hispanic American Almanac, Kanellos (Hispanic studies, Univ. of Houston; founding publisher of The Americas Review), assisted by 13 other scholars, covers 14 categories, including history, business, politics, religion, the military, science, various arts, and sports. The overview of immigration cultures, history, and law provides perspective: Latinos were here before the Dutch or English; their political and economic influence is growing; and a bilingual Spanish/English America looks increasingly likely. The extensive historical chapter runs from prehistory to the present day, focusing on four groups: Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, and, to a lesser extent, Central Americans. The editor asserts the cultural importance to his subject populations of religion but devotes just eight pages to that topic (“Media” is six times lengthier; “Literature” is the longest). The weaker half of the volume is devoted to biographical sketches that note the professional achievements of prominent Latinos, without much attention to institutional or systemic obstacles, or, often, to the subject’s personal details and labels about their economic or social status backgrounds. Sometimes there are factual errors or omissions. Nevertheless, Kanellos offers a valuable starting point for research on Latinos in the United States, who are united but diverse in multiple ways.