American Dream Car in Cuba: Vintage Cars on the Road [Hardcover]

Martino Fagiuoli (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 8890059605 | ISBN-13: 978-8890059605 | Publication Date: September 2001

A photographic exploration of classic American cars across the Cuban landscape, this incredible collection shows all the glamour and mosaic of vintage Chevrolets, Pontiacs, Fords, Oldsmobiles, Cadillacs, Dodges, Chryslers, and Buicks. This volume covers vehicles produced from the '20s to the '50s and is divided into three sections: "Cars on the Road" shows the vintage vehicles as they travel through the island's exotic landscape and mixes the stories of the people along the road with them; "Vintage Cars" provides details on the most famous models in the industry and shows how many owners have preserved their vehicles; and "Car Drivers" views the men and women who drive and repair these beautiful cars with wit and wizardry.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This book of photographs is based on the interesting fact that until 1960, Cuba was the largest importer of American cars. With many Cubans fleeing the island in the wake of the Castro revolution and leaving their possessions behind, and with the U.S. embargo in place for so many years, these now-old American cars remain the sole method of transportation in Cuba. What that means to Fagiuoli, an Italian industrial photographer, and Cuban art expert Rodriguez is that Cuba represents "a museum which shows its treasures in streets and roads." The purpose of this gorgeous large-format book is to "stop" these cars, most of which date from the 1950s, before they are "driven for their last journey." The authors perambulate the whole island, capturing automotive gems in flight and in repose, and they watch over the shoulders of imaginative mechanics performing miracles of preservation, service, and repair. On a larger scale, this book celebrates Cubans' exhilaration with life and how these old cars "contribute an atmosphere of brightness." Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

A richly detailed look at the American cars that dominate the island nation's roads. -- Automobile Magazine

A tribute to the tenacity, effort, and dedication of those who have contributed to the preservation of these vintage jewels. -- Old Cars

An affectionate visual tribute. -- Caribbean Travel & Life

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 127 pages
• Publisher: C V Export (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 8890059605
• ISBN-13: 978-8890059605
• Product Dimensions: 15.8 x 11.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,496,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, February 27, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: American Dream Car in Cuba: Vintage Cars on the Road (Hardcover)

I visited Cuba last year and was amazed at all the wonderful American cars, so I really wanted to enjoy this book when I bought it. It has a few great photos, such as the cover photo, but mostly the photos are pretty dull and repetitive and don't really say anything about Cuba. The text, mostly by a Cuban writer, is boring waffle with very few facts and historical data. Where are the interesting anecdotes about Ernest Hemingway, or even Fidel Castro and other famous characters and their cars? The wonderful little pocket-size book on Cuban cars by Cristina Garcia is much more interesting. I'm still waiting for a really good photo book on the subject.