The Puerto Rican War: A Graphic History [Hardcover]

In this beautifully produced art book, Bronx-based artist and second generation Puerto Rican American John Vasquez Mejias tells the tale of the 1950 Puerto Rican insurrection, an often-overlooked chapter of American history, in boldly graphic hand-carved woodcut.

? A brilliant blend of graphic and literary narration and a lovely work of art in itself. Kirkus Reviews(Starred Review)

Rendered in gorgeously carved wood blocks and buffeted with historical supplemental material, John Vasquez MejiassThe Puerto Rican Wartells the story of the the 1950 insurrection on the island that resulted in 38 deaths and a failed assassination attempt against President Harry S. Truman.

Told as a fable, in which the leaders of the movement are visited by the ghosts of Michael Collins and Gandhi, this book showcases an important and often overlooked moment in American history and a historical touchstone for the Puerto Rican independence movement.

John Vasquez Mejias is a visual artist and high school art teacher in the Bronx. He regularly produces zines, comics, and performs hand-crafted puppet shows and theater events based on The Puerto Rican War and other subjects. The self-published version of The Puerto Rican War is in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Library.

https://www.johnvasquezmejias.com

The book’s visual style puts the literal grain of Mejias’s work on display, a testament to just how difficult some stories can be to tell — and how important they can be to rediscover.The Washington PostThe woodblock method lends density and gravitas to the work that command attention; each centimeter of each panel is rich in visual detail, inviting readers to linger over the page….A brilliant blend of graphic and literary narration and a lovely work of art in itself.Kirkus, STARRED ReviewMejias brilliantly weavesl£(