"One of the best works ever done on the Dominican Republic, this wonderful book goes a long way toward explaining not only the long-lived Trujillo dictatorship but subsequent Dominican social and political history as well. It is also a powerful critique of the simplistic demonizing of the Caribbean dictatorial model of politics attached to strongmen like Trujillo, Somoza, and Duvalier." - Lowell Gudmundson, Mount Holyoke College

It's called plagiarism.

Haitian-Dominican Counterpoint by Eugenio Matibag. One will come across historical tidbits that are otherwise obfuscated in other Dominican historical works in this one. Highly recommended.

As someone who has grown up in a Puerto Rican neighborhood here in New York and who has been to PR several times I would say that the Puerto Rican people are, in the majority, undoubtebly of mixed ancestry. The main component of this mix is definitely white mediterranean but there is a very strong undercurrent of African and indegenous blood in their population. A walk through any of their neighborhoods here in the city would bear witness to said fact. A Puerto Rican is just a sand-blasted Dominican...LOL

Cib thanks for that link, and thanks to all for the many suggestions! On the topic of mulataje fleshed out above by Lautaro, generoso and USADR I would recommend also :

Undoing Empire: Race and Nation in the Mulatto Caribbean by Jose F. Buscaglia-Salgado

It's about all three Spanish Antilles but appropriately puts DR in the center given the topic. In addition to factors mentioned here that author spends a lot of time on the fact that outside Santo Domingo there was not much meaningful influence of imperial administrators or immigrants fresh from the metropolis (esp. by comparison with other colonies). Out there the geography, fertility and plentiness allowed for more cooperation and mixing among the peasantry, instead of reliance on imperial class who as mentioned above also shrank considerably after the rise of Potosí and all the other continental mining centers. Absence of officials also meant lax enforcement of racial codes or of the stricter urban norms of racial stratification. As we know the North coast was well outside the reach of their control, hence the devastaciones and later on cultural rivalries.

I don't know, but I have heard (and read) that this book is heavily biased against the DR, is this accusation well founded or not?

Bull. It contains truths that don't fit in neatly with what some people have been lead to beleive is the history of the island and as such it would be labeled bias by the same suspects that would resort to calling any Dominican they disagree with "haitian". Read it and judge for yourself. I myself highly recommend it. Take that for whatever it's worth to you.

Don't worry, if it has your endorsement, then that is all that it will ever need for me to look for it. Would you believe me capable of doubting the patriotism of a descendant of Fernando Valerio? I might be a little crazy and outspoken about the things that I disapprove, but nobody can accuse me of being sacrilegous against the country's simbols.

LOL..it's very interesting. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. You can biew alot of its pages for free online:
http://www.amazon.com/Haitian-Dominican-Counterpoint-Eugenio-Matibag/dp/0312294328

Does anyone over here have read the book "El Ocaso de la Nación Dominicana" by Manuel Núñez?