Book excerpt: The Caribbean is a region that has been at the heart of world history and global development for centuries. Despite its small geographic size, it is the lynchpin of the Atlantic economy. Further, through a series of migrations, Caribbean people are represented in most of the major cities of the West, and have impacted the histories of Britain, Canada, and the United States, as well as places throughout Europe and Latin America. The Caribbean History Reader provides a thorough and up-to-date overview of Caribbean history from the pre-Columbian era to the present. It brings together a range of classic and innovative articles and primary sources, to create an introduction to Caribbean political, economic, social and cultural currents, providing an important first reference point to scholars and students alike.