Exploring the Complex Relationship Between Cuba and the United States: An Anthology Edited by Dr. Ada Ferrer

Clare Hansen-Shinnerl: If you want to know everything about Cuba, this is your book. It leaves off no detail and is very well written. My complaint is that the print is so tiny that I could barely read the book. First I ordered the paperback and the print was impossibly small that I gave the book away. I then ordered the hard cover and the print was a bit larger but still ridiculously small. Such a shame that print size is the deterrent to reading an accomplished book.

United States on Jan 14, 2024

David E. Sumner: I always believed I should not write scholarly books in first-person voice. But I found Ida Ferrer's occasional use of her first-person experiences as a Cuban immigrant and her visits back to the island very useful. The book was indeed scholarly and tells the story of more than 300 years of turbulent Cuban history and its complex relationship with the U.S. She also doesn't waste words and her writing is tight, concise, and sticks to the point. Her love for her native land comes through in her writing, but she doesn't fail to explain the many failures of the Castro administration.

United States on Jan 09, 2024

Baby boomer in CT: This is a long but well written and comprehensive book about the very long history of Cuba from Columbus' landing in 1492 until the Obama years when there was a thaw in US/Cuba relations. That is now pretty much frozen over again, unfortunately.

The book certainly educated me about I place I have been fascinated by and helped me prepare a presentation to a local group that meets in town to discuss foreign US policy.

United States on Dec 06, 2023

Kindle Customer: excellent insight and very informative. easy to read. a must read book for every individual

Australia on Dec 06, 2023

Ronnie-D: I bought this book after a recent trip to Cuba. I wish I had bought the book in advance of my trip. I learned so much from "Cuba: An American History" and now realize that there are many misconceptions about Cuba and the Cuban people. It is well written and provides an amazing history of Cuba. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about the island off our coast with which we share much history.

United States on Nov 19, 2023

Devadas Moodley: Beautifully written, consistently illuminating and a must read not only for US citizens but also for all readers who wish to really understand the effects of imperialism.Yes, this is about the impact of US regional power on the history of Cuba and the intimate connection between these societies but it has wider implications not just for the Caribbean and Latin America. I have learned much about the history of Cuba which I previously missed through the common misunderstanding caused by only knowing it in fragments. Seeing history from Cuba is not only essential for the US but also for the rest of us.

United Kingdom on Sep 13, 2023

Amazon Customer: Despite some other reader's reviews that disparage the alleged political spin, I found this to be a compelling read and battled through the TINY font to finish it quickly - which IMHO makes it a very good book. I read it during our one week vacation at an all-inclusive Cuban resort which made it all the more thought provoking. (in the context of the present state product shortages and general unhappiness of many Cubans). It's kind of sad to reflect on 500+ years (and ongoing) of exploitation and hope and pray for some kind of resurgence. My only criticism might be that this book hammered along like a freight train until the end and seemingly implied that the Biden administration might bring some changes. Perhaps the reality is that sleepy Joe holds the key to economic recovery for Cuba. I can only wish that's not the case and the people do find some other way to prosper.

Canada on Mar 26, 2023

Valente Souza: The XVII and XVIII European centuries power was slavery, the came steam...

Mexico on Oct 03, 2022

Lucas J: If you like survey histories and don't know much about Cuba (and you live in the US), I highly recommend this book. Not only does it cover key events and forces inside and outside Cuba that have shaped it, it's very readable and with on-the-ground anecdotes and quotes, brings to life how events probably felt to the people in or around them.

BUT - to take it a level beyond "interesting & readable history book," I think this type of book is *important* to read. Personally, Cuban history was not covered in my public k-12 education in the US, except for the Cuban missile crisis. And due to the embargo, my knowledge of the place and its people has been pretty minimal. (And I think that is probably a very common experience.)

Which is unfortunate, because Cuba is one of the US's few direct neighbors. Our histories, like with Mexico or Canada, are very intertwined. Havana has been a cultural hub for the entire hemisphere for the last 500 years, due to where it sat on the gulf stream trade routes between Europe and the Americas, with as much of a musical influence as NYC and New Orleans. Our relationship with Cuba even shapes presidential elections, or led to a nuclear...

United States on Apr 03, 2022

Serferper: Every american (inhabitants of the whole continent) and also spanish should read this book.

Spain on Nov 07, 2021