The 13 chapters presented here by Hillman (political science, St. John Fisher College) and D'Agostino (director, Center for Global Education, Hobart and William Smith Colleges) collectively draw up a portrait of the contemporary Caribbean that incorporates insights from across the disciplinary spectrum. Chapters address the geography of the region; the historical context; Caribbean politics; the economies of the Caribbean; international relations; environment and ecology; ethnicity, race, class, and nationality; women and development; religion; literature and popular culture; the Caribbean diaspora; and trends and prospects. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)