Today there are few travelers to the Island of Hispaniola compared to other Caribbean Islands. For those of you looking for a travel log you would be better served with Bradt's "Haiti & the Dominican Republic". If your are looking for information on the history, culture and politicts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic then this is the most complete and accurate book I have found.

I'm a frequent traveler to Hispaniola and specifically to Haiti where I lead several missionary trips a year. People who go on these trips always have a lot of questions and my most FAQ's are; "Why are they so poor? Why doesn't their Government help? What is the US doing?", etc. Michele Wucker takes all this dirty laundry out and waves it for everyone to see. She offers objective comparison of the cultures and why there is so much strife. The book is a compassionate dialog of history, fact and folklore that I couldn't put down. She spares no one and provides an honest and (I think) accurate review of all three countries involved (Haiti, The Dominican Republic, and The United States).

If you wish to learn how history is written in the Dominican Republic and why the Dominicans behave as they do, find the answer in this beautifully written and well researched volume. If you wish to separate fact from fiction in the beautiful island of Hispaniola, this is the book to buy.

Why The Cocks Fight: Dominicans, Haitians, And The Struggle For Hispaniola is a definitive, informative, insightful study of the longstanding tensions between Dominicans and Haitians on their shared island of Hispaniola. Michele Wucker carefully takes the reader through the dramatic and bloody history, and current political dilemmas of the two nations' hostilities. Close attention is paid to the features of Caribbean life that affect modern Hispaniola in its relations to the United States and American involvement in the conflicts between these two island-sharing neighbors. Why The Cocks Fight is an excellent addition to the literature and highly recommended reading for students of international studies in general, and the Caribbean-based national conflicts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic in particular.