The Business of Empire: United Fruit, Race, and U.S. Expansion in Central America (The United States in the World)

I've been reading and researching about Costa Rica for a while now but this book is the first one that squarely addresses the issue of race. Even prosperous and successful Costa Rica has a shadow, and that is its creation of a "leyenda blanca"-- the white legend that denies the non-European roots of its people and of the role that black Caribbeans played in building the country's wealth. This book describes that culture, and the complicated intertwining of the interests of the Hispanic majority, the U.S.-owned United Fruit Co., and the black Caribbean immigrants who came to Costa Rica and Guatemala to work on the banana plantations. These hard-working, English-speaking and Protestant workers were often favored by their U.S. bosses over the Spanish-speaking, mestizo workers who make up the majority in these countries, creating resentment and an easy opportunity for politicians to foment racist policies. Colby's book describes this process: it's well-written, well-researched, and fills a gap in our knowledge of the region.

Great book! Every person should read it to understand the US influence on the region and its consequences today