About the book
In this award-winning environmental history of Cuba since the age of Columbus, Reinaldo Funes Monzote emphasizes the two processes that have had the most dramatic impact on the island’s landscape: deforestation and sugar cultivation. During the first 300 years of Spanish settlement, sugar plantations arose primarily in areas where forests had been cleared by the royal navy, which maintained an interest in management and conservation for the shipbuilding industry. The sugar planters won a decisive victory in 1815, however, when they were allowed to clear extensive forests, without restriction, for cane fields and sugar production. This book is the first to consider Cuba’s vital sugar industry through the lens of environmental history. Funes Monzote demonstrates how the industry that came to define Cuba — and upon which Cuba urgently depended — also devastated the ecology of the island.
The original Spanish-language edition of the book, published in Mexico in 2004, was awarded the UNESCO Book Prize for Caribbean Thought, Environmental Category. For this first English edition, the author has revised the text throughout and provided new material, including a glossary and a conclusion that summarizes important developments up to the present.
Editions of From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780807831281
- Paperback
- ISBN 9780807858585
- EBook
- ISBN 9781469604671
- EBook
- ISBN 9780807888865
- EBook
- ISBN 9798890880918
- PDF
- ISBN 9798890880901
Read an Excerpt
In this award-winning environmental history of Cuba since the age of Columbus, Reinaldo Funes Monzote emphasizes the two processes that have had the most dramatic impact on the island’s landscape: deforestation and sugar cultivation. During the first 300 years of Spanish settlement, sugar plantations arose primarily in areas where forests had been cleared by the royal navy, which maintained an interest in management and conservation for the shipbuilding industry. The sugar planters won a decisive victory in 1815, however, when they were allowed to clear extensive forests, without restriction, for cane fields and sugar production. This book is the first to consider Cuba’s vital sugar industry through the lens of environmental history. Funes Monzote demonstrates how the industry that came to define Cuba — and upon which Cuba urgently depended — also devastated the ecology of the island.
The original Spanish-language edition of the book, published in Mexico in 2004, was awarded the UNESCO Book Prize for Caribbean Thought, Environmental Category. For this first English edition, the author has revised the text throughout and provided new material, including a glossary and a conclusion that summarizes important developments up to the present.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba about?
In this award-winning environmental history of Cuba since the age of Columbus, Reinaldo Funes Monzote emphasizes the two processes that have had the most dramatic impact on the island’s landscape: deforestation and sugar cultivation. During the first 300 years of Spanish settlement, sugar plantations arose primarily in areas where forests had been cleared by the royal navy, which maintained an interest in management and conservation for the shipbuilding industry. The sugar planters won a decisive victory in 1815, however, when they were allowed to clear extensive forests, without restriction, for cane fields and sugar production. This book is the first to consider Cuba’s vital sugar industry through the lens of environmental history. Funes Monzote demonstrates how the industry that came to define Cuba — and upon which Cuba urgently depended — also devastated the ecology of the island.
The original Spanish-language edition of the book, published in Mexico in 2004, was awarded the UNESCO Book Prize for Caribbean Thought, Environmental Category. For this first English edition, the author has revised the text throughout and provided new material, including a glossary and a conclusion that summarizes important developments up to the present.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba?
History and Archaeology > History > History of the Americas
Where can I read a sample of From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807831281
How long is From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba and how many pages does it have?
From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba has 384 page(s)
Is From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Envisioning Cuba
Who is/are the Author/s of the book From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba?
Reinaldo Funes Monzote
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780807831281) and paperback(ISBN 9780807858585) and ebook(ISBN 9781469604671) and ebook(ISBN 9780807888865) and ebook(ISBN 9798890880918) and pdf(ISBN 9798890880901)
Where can I buy From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba from below
Where can I buy From Rainforest to Cane Field in Cuba?