What exactly is a U.S. territory? Do residents of the territories have the same rights and privileges as those who live in the 50 states? Should the U.S. even have territories if it calls itself a democracy? Stumped by these and other questions, travel writer Doug Mack hops on a plane (eventually several) to delve into the convoluted histories and uncertain futures of the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico. Mack recounts his adventures, sharing stories of the people he meets and pondering the big questions of what it means to be an American, in his second book, The Not-Quite States of America.
Mack (Europe on Five Wrong Turns a Day) begins his quest with a visit to the Virgin Islands. In his travels, he meets longtime residents and newcomers from the continental U.S., members of groups agitating for statehood and those mostly satisfied with the status quo--which is slightly different for each territory. Mack explains the complex and often conflicting histories of the territories, discussing U.S. imperialism (past and present), the concept of Manifest Destiny and the influence of other cultures (Japanese, Polynesian, Latin American) on the cultural identity and day-to-day life of each place. At every stage, he encounters paradoxes and contradictions, which are summed up in one phrase that applies to all the territories: "a tricky, burdensome dual identity." Part of the U.S. and yet distinctly their own, the territories are at times a thorn in the nation's side, but are inextricably linked to its past, present and future.
In light of recent immigration questions and racially charged political moments, Mack's book feels particularly timely. Not all the locals he meets on his travels are interested in statehood or even citizenship (some territories enjoy the latter privilege, some don't). But each territory, in its own way, wrestles constantly with a deeply relevant issue: "the question of how, exactly, we define what it means to be American, and who gets to set that definition."
Witty and thoughtful, with plenty of vibrant characters and vivid descriptions, The Not-Quite States of America is also a well-researched history and a highly enjoyable travelogue. Frequent fliers and armchair travelers alike will relish Mack's account and wonder where he's headed next. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams
Shelf Talker: This entertaining and well-researched travelogue of U.S. territories explores what it means to be American.