what the critics say
Press & Reviews
Border Bodies — winner of the 2024 NACCS and AAHHE Books of the Year — has been reviewed across history, borderlands, and literary studies. Selected scholarly reviews:
01 The American Historical Review
“This is a great monograph to assign for any US literary history, American studies, or intellectual history course.”
Kris Klein Hernández (Connecticut College). Review of Border Bodies, by Bernadine Marie Hernández. The American Historical Review 129, no. 3 (September 2024): 1262–1263.
02 Diplomatic History
On sexuality and sexual violence, Hernández “has bucked this trend” of scholarly reticence.
Grace Peña Delgado. “Disentangling Shadows: A Critical Appraisal of Sexual Capital.” Review of Border Bodies, by Bernadine Marie Hernández. Diplomatic History 48, no. 1 (January 2024): 144–147.
03 Journal of Borderlands Studies
“An impressive and meticulous archival work.”
Maélys Druilhe (Université du Québec à Montréal). Review of Border Bodies, by Bernadine Marie Hernández. Journal of Borderlands Studies 38, no. 4 (2023): 677–678.
04 American Nineteenth Century History
“A detailed and compelling monograph … rich insights into constructions of race, sexuality, and gender.”
Elizabeth M. Barnes. Review of Border Bodies, by Bernadine Marie Hernández. American Nineteenth Century History 25, no. 1 (2024): 97–98.
05 Journal of Arizona History
“A wonderful addition for graduate courses … Its influence will undoubtedly grow in the years to come.”
Erika Pérez. Review of Border Bodies, by Bernadine Marie Hernández. Journal of Arizona History 64, no. 3 (Autumn 2023): 491–494.
06 Journal of the Civil War Era
“… the most noteworthy is how teachable each chapter is for upper-division and graduate students.”
Katherine Sarah Massoth. Review of Border Bodies, by Bernadine Marie Hernández. The Journal of the Civil War Era 13, no. 4 (December 2023): 553–555.
07 Legacy: A Journal of American Women Writers
Gabriela Valenzuela. Review of Border Bodies, by Bernadine Marie Hernández. Legacy: A Journal of American Women Writers 42, no. 1 (2025): 141–144.
08 Reviews in American History
“Beyond the Extraction of Sexual Capital — Learning to ‘Say Their Names’ in the Nineteenth-Century Borderlands.”
L. Heidenreich. “Beyond the Extraction of Sexual Capital — Learning to ‘Say Their Names’ in the Nineteenth-Century Borderlands.” Review of Border Bodies, by Bernadine Marie Hernández. Reviews in American History 52, no. 2 (June 2024): 123–129.
09 The Journal of African American History
“A timely contribution that points the way toward new approaches to centering marginalized groups in the histories of contested spaces.”
Gina M. Martino. Review of Border Bodies, by Bernadine Marie Hernández. The Journal of African American History 109, no. 2 (Spring 2024): 335–337.
