Customer Reviews

Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba: The Biography of a Cause

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This review is for the Kindle edition. The book is extremely well written. However, the Kindle edition, which is priced at only $2.50 less than the print edition, is a mess.

The Bacardí Family tree which appears at the beginning of the book is illegible. It appears legibly for less than a second and then fades to light gray. Unusable.

Nearly every time the name of Jose Martí appears, it has been conjoined with the word that follows it. "Martí published" becomes "Martípublished". There are some 64+ occurrences such as this. It becomes more than tiresome.

Also, there are ZERO photographs included in the Kindle edition. Mr.Gjelten did a grand job writing this book, but whoever Kindilized it did a pathetic job. Buy the print version.

This is a terrific book. It tells the tale of 150 years of Cuban and Bacardi history without burdening you with more facts, personalities , and anecdotes than you need to understand the company. In addition to the story of th Bacardi family it is a fast overview of how and why Cuba got to where it is today. Like most good
journalists,the author can compress a story yet give you the feeling that you know all the important stuff that needs to be known. The Bacardi family and company (it is still privately owned)certainly ranks as one of the most interesting and liberal I have ever come across reading about big businesses. They were not Johnnies come lately in the battle for Cuban freedom both from Spain and the native born dictators who followed after the American invaders left the island. They supported and financed the
Castro revolution and then had to flee the country when he turned into a communist dictator. They then fought him from the Bay of Pigs to this day.
At a time when Cuban workers were exploited under Spain and then under Cuban dictators, Bacardi seems to have been an enlightened employer providing its workers with benefits and security far beyond others.When one remembers that the company prospered under a series of ruthless and corrupt dictators who turned Havanna into a mafia controlled enclave, they seem all the more incredible that they could remain clean while they had so much mud around them In fact, with the exception of the rare philanderer or less than bright family member, the Bacardi family over this 150 year time span seems extraordinary for their compassion, accomplishments, and sense of duty and honor. Perhaps too extraordinary. Reading through the book I had to marvel how so many people could be so good over so many years. They make the Rockefellers seem like heartless aristocrats. The author received, by his own acknowledgement, priceless assistance from various family members who gave him unique access to their history and records and, understandably, this may have tilted him in their favor. But even with its flaws it still remains a very important book.

Tom Gjelten is a reporter for National Public Radio, with extensive background in foreign affairs. He shows is skill in understanding international relations with this masterful history of Cuba, from colonial days to the present. This is a beautifully documented history, with footnotes, a detailed list of sources, and a comprehensive index.

The history of the Cuban nation is interwoven with the history of the Bacardi family, from the first Catalan immigrant, Facundo Bacardi, to the present diaspora living in exile (except for Gilda and Gustavin, who I happened to know as a child, and who were and are sympathizers of the Castro regime and are still in Cuba). He dutifully relates the sequence of presidents and dictators of the island, with the social and political background of each regime. This may sound dull and perhaps too academic, but the struggle of the family throughout the history of the island gives it a personal and involving dimension.

In the last chapter, Gjelten speaks to the dynamics of the present political situation of Cuba, both from the point of view of the exile community, as well as from the needs of the post-Castro Cuban nation. This makes the book an important resource for anyone interested in being involved, either emotionally or in a practical, active way, in the future Cuba.

Outstanding book!

My father was an executive with Bacardi for 25 years. As such, I have some knowledge about the company, its history, and many of the events related in the book, as well as knowing many of the people written about in the book.

The author has done a tremendous job in his research, and in getting the essence of the Bacardi family and, by extension, the Cuban story correct.

This is not only a good read for anyone interested in the Bacardi story, but also a well written, and detailed chronicle of Cuban political history that goes back well beyond the Batista-Castro-Communist revloution times that are what people generally know about Cuba.

There has recently been a renewed interest in pre-revolutionary Cuba. This stems from the fact that Cuba today is so un-romantic, so poor and stricken with prostitution, that peopel want to understand not only the pre-history of Castro but also the time before Castro. This has given us new studies of the Mafia in Cuba (Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution) and recent books on the Americans who fought in the revolution. This book examines a previously unstudied subject, the history of the Bacardi family and Cuba. Most would have assumed the family, being some of the wealthier citizens of the island, would not have been Castro supporters or progressive in the least bit. But the truth is quite different. The patriarch of the dynasty was a fighter in the original war against Spain in the 1890s and by the 1950s they were disillusioned with Batista. This is an excellent history of this family and its biography, which in many ways is the biography of Cuba itself in this period. A very nice book that fills both a gap in history and sheds light on a fascinating story.

Seth J. Frantzman

One of the few good books on a subject where ideological sympathies and emotion have mattered more than scholarship. Excellent in every sense: research. conclusions, readability.

The time nor my sentiments would ever be capable of expressing my sincere appreciation, emotions and sentiments after reading this great biography. Although it filled my heart with great pride being part Cuban it at the same time saddened and depressed me realizing what the "Robo-lution" has done to such a great country, culture and people. One day the world will know the truth about the Castro -Criminals and autrocities towards humanity that they have committed then we shall see how many lack of charcter celebrities and politicians stand by Fidel and Raul! Viva Cuba! Libertad, Libertad, Libertad!!! Strongly recommend!!!!! Thank you TherealCuba.com for advertising this book to acquire!

this way of knowing the history of a country by knowing the history of a "Saga" or family, is really amazing. It's a ways you can understand a lot, about feelings, emotions and so. I think that the author could know something else about the history of CAtalonia to understand Facundo, Emilio...

This book reveals a side to the makers of the internationally famous Cuban Bacardi Rum that is not well known by many. The Bacardi Family is a great patriotic Cuban family that fought for decades for Cuban Democracy and is in exile. A must read by those who ignore many aspects of the fight for Cuba's freedom and democracy.

I was not born on the Island as My parents(Habanero,Pinareño and Guarijito de una Playa en Santa Clara thank You) were. Nor would I visit the Island until it is Democratic in every aspect once again and not piecemeal so-called democracy,my family was not wealthy and was Apolitical and fled for Political not Monetary Reasons nor they come to Exploit this great country as later Arrivals have sadly to return several times to the island "sin Verguenza" ninguna,Also I do not drink at all nor smoke,yet my politics are Self-Described and proudly RightWing AntiCastro and AntiBatista Yet Pro-Prio/Pro-Autentico(without the Grau Socialistic Elements and land redistribution) Variety. This book cannot be criticized for not trying to paint a fair and actually surprisingly balanced and refreshing look at a Family from Oriente(be suspicious,history shows Orientales always messing up a good thing see batista and Fidel)who according to the Author who works off all places when he wrote this for NPR(hardly a Rightwing endeavor nor a bone to grind)were a Progressive family, Therein lies one of it's Flaws,the word "Progressive" is seen throughout the book as though it is a Godsend savior.The family does seem to have a rich history and its roots fighting for democracy stretch back to the Spanish(Its the Cuban American War not Spanish American,Cubans have been neglected in that regard a lot.)to Batista and Sadly Pro-Fidel later to be Anti-Fidel,It is a worthy history lesson when People who seem to be great orators and have that "hope" ingrained in too many only to be duped later.I do not like the fact the one of the early Founders had Anti-Church Leanings since To Him Catholicism was in duplicity with The Spaniards,and he had Masonic Leanings(again AntiChurch) and the author seems to delight that fact about the founders being of the enlightenment,Victor Hugo,Etcera and not being of the Church,(which To me despite the Modern Church In Cuba which is pandering to the Regime,I am still a Hardline Catholic.)Also,the Author seems to use the "Colossus" quote from Marti and twist it in way to hint at some sort of evil American So-called Imperialism,there is also the Annoying Cuban Elite word(as opposed to an American Elite Mainly Liberal from The Western and Eastern Seaboards Perhaps?)as if being Rich or inheritance should be looked down upon?Fidel's Father was Wealthy as pointed out in the book as was Che TheCoward.Despite these flaws and depending on sources as Dubious As Don Bohning(The Herald or the Tass), Marifeli Perez-Stable(apologist for the Regime,rumored to be a Spy)Cubans who are under the employment of the state and are on the island as well the travel to the island for "research".(annoying typical Romanticism)Non-Cubans Such Louis A Perez Jr,(Cuba Between Revolution and Reform) and of course an Anglo such as Tom Gjelten with that Liberal mindset of Guilt Should not Deter one from reading this book,and reap the lessons of history and One's Cuban Identity.