“Puerto Rico Inside and Out: Changes and Continuities is an anthology of essays by historian and columnist Fernando Picó, covering topics ranging from police harassment of Puerto Rican dissenters in the early 1970s to in-depth portraits of how Puerto Rican rural landscapes and cultural traditions have been vanishing. Most of the essays span the years from 1969-1980 (only four essays reminisce from later vantage points up to 1987); [these] are from an up-close and personal perspective, while others reflect from the vantage point of Paris, France. An unforgettable glimpse into the extraordinary diversity of cultures that compose Puerto Rico in general and San Juan in particular, Puerto Rico Inside and Out is highly recommended.”
— Midwest Book Review
“Picó spent much of the 1970s and 1980s as a columnist for The San Juan Star, the recently defunct English-language daily newspaper of Puerto Rico, where he wrote regularly on Puerto Rican politics and history. This volume collects 72 of his writings from that era, addressing a wide range of issues, including ongoing debates concerning the political status of the island vis-à-vis the United States, nostalgic memories of the Puerto Rican rural past, ecological degradation from agriculture, Puerto Rican cultural heritage, Puerto Rican educational institutions, and more. Many of the columns consist of anecdotal stories intended to highlight this or that facet of Puerto Rican life.”
— Book News