“If our political establishment knew a tenth as much about Cuba, or cared half as much about it, as does Ann Louise Bardach, both the United States and Cuba would be more open societies.”
—Christopher Hitchens"The eighth in this engaging international series offers 22 short stories and excerpts from longer works (several previously unavailable in English). . . . The stories are generally superior--notably Lino Novás Calvo's thriller-like "The Dark Night of Ramón Yendia," Ana Menéndez's plaintive "Her Mother's House," and the ultimate assimilation story: "We Came All the Way from Cuba So You Could Dress Like This?," by Achy Obejas (a witty, serious farce that's every bit as good as its title). On balance, a worthy addition to a splendid series."
--Kirkus Reviews"From hallucinatory riffs on sexuality and getting by in decaying communist towns, to wistful memoirs of shaded patios gone forever, Cuba is a generous tasting of literary offerings from all parts the island. While reissuing some classics by legendary Cuban writers, Cuba also serves the vital purpose of introducing readers to the next wave of Cuban authors, ones whose take on life in one of the world's last communist states is far different than their forebears. . . . Cuba is ingeniously divided by region, with writers from each province adding local seasonings to the mix. . . . As a travel guide, Cuba is a leisurely tour of a literary nation beyond the reach of propaganda machines and travel bans. The translations are clean and precise, the thematic variety of narratives, genders and dilemmas wide enough illuminate that mystery known as Cuba. Cuba is a small island, but it makes its presence known in America far more widely and loudly than its size would warrant. Guided by some of the liveliest writing being produced anywhere today, Cuba is an excellent, compact tour of the mythic Cuba, a place where literature means something."
--St. Petersburg Times
Travel to Cuba in the company of its finest writers and gain an understanding of its remarkable mystique. The twenty-one stories in this collection—some of which appear in English for the first time—will take you on an odyssey through the country's rich past to its dynamic present, where it is poised at the brink of immense change. Arranged by the areas of Cuba they illuminate, these stories offer up a rich literary banquet.
Ann Louise Bardach is the author of the forthcoming book Cuba Confidential (Random House). She has written extensively about Cuba for the New York Times, Talk, Vanity Fair, Condé Nast Traveler, the New Republic, the Washington Post, and other publications.
CUBA, edited by Ann Louise Bardach, $14.95, ISBN # 1-883513-11-1
