Customer Reviews

Fulgencio Batista: From Revolutionary to Strongman

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This two part biography of Batista attempts to paint the dictator in a new light. The author is very proBatista but does raise some interesting and new perspectives on the man. This first book is about Batista's early years up through the point where he is elected president. It does an excellent job of showing US influences on internal Cuban politics. The various presidents that were Batista's puppets show the level of corruption that runs not only through Cuba but throughout all of Latin America. The narrative account does a great job of shedding light on how Cuba looked in the precastro years and in this case shows how transformative the years before Batista really were. It was a time where Cuba was finding its national image and forming itself as a nation. The book is very well written and provides an interesting account on Cuba during this time period. In short highly recommend.

Frank Argote-Freyre has set himself above other experts on Cuba with the publication of his first volume on Fulgencio Batista. I have never before read an account of any person, or any era, that was better. Talk about disciplined and documented academic research, or talk about lively, easily-read prose, or talk about honest, unbiased analysis, and you have to put Argote-Freyre in the top tier of biographers. As for analysts of Cuba's sad experience, Argote-Freyre has no peer.

EXCELLENT BOOK ,VERY WELL DOCUMENTED BOOK ON A VERY INTERESTING YEARS OF CUBAN HISTORY, THAT SOMETIMES IS DIFFICULT TO FIND.MANY INTERESTING FACTS
ABOUT BATISTA'S CHILDHOOD AND RISE TO POWER, I BELIEVE THE CONFLICTS OF THOSE TIMES CREATED THE CONDITIONS FOR CASTRO'S FUTURE RAISE TO POWER IN 1959, GUITERAS PERSONALITY RESEMBLES VERY MUCH CASTRO PERSONALITY AS WELL, AN EXCELLENT BOOK BY ALL MEANS.I WILL RATED A VERY WELL DESERVED 5 STARS

My family was apolitical neither batistiano nor Fidelista,Mainly Apolitical with exception here and there of admirers of Autenticismo and they did not have any property(nothing wrong with having property) this book is even-handed despite my displeasure with the Author going to Cuba and relying on All Sources not just the Pro but Con as well(This includes the Regime in power's side of the story which can be taken with a Grain of Salt). My feelings, I personally Believe the Democratically Elected Presidency of Carlos Prio Socarras was the Best Cuba ever had until Batista's Coup in 1952(which is not covered in this book but may be in a future volume I understand)After Prio,I would say the Presidency of Grau(Before Prio)and in 1933,But I prefer Prio.The Autenticos(Party of Grau,Prio) was the Best Cuba could have had,They were the ones who Kicked out The Reds from The Unions and did more than anyone else(yes there were bad apples as with anyone/anything).I recommend the Book The Cuban Democratic Experience The Autentico Years which is by Professor Charles Ameringer(he also wrote The Democratic left in Exile so he is hardly a Partisan)As for this work,other than my personal displeasure with the author's range of sources and travel,I found the book to be neither pro or con,it is a biography but I feel he should have for the record shown that Grau and The Reds through a front party were not in cahoots as it is suggested in a subtle way(it is pointed out the Autenticos were Anti-Communist),but the author is apologetic for Batista saying he was just a shrewd Politician,which is true,but at least it makes Batista Friendly towards the Communists,And at worst a Enabler(as shown it was he who legalized the party),his life story is covered and it is to be admired that from nothing he went to something even if he did it all the wrong way,there is no mention of Carratala which my grandma told me a lot about and Ventura,people who were abusive,but it does a lot to shed the myth of The American Pawn and So-called Right Wing Dictator(a Dictator after 1952 and a Strongman before as pointed out in the 1930s, but more to the Left never a Rightist).This book has errors such as "Bolito" which should be Bolita which Is the illegal lottery,also the Source in the bibliography section of Mario Riera Hernandez Carlos Prio Socarras Un Presidente Cordial was Published because I have copy however it is very rare,And Cuban Presidents that I am aware was too,Also Un Presidente Constructivo about Batista is available,the Prio book is like a Booklet or pamphlet really.It is sad that People like Prio have yet to be written on instead of an Opportunist and Career Military Man Like Batista.Despite my feelings I highly recommend this book and The Cuban Democratic Experience The Autentico Years.

Couldn't be more pleased. This is the second time I buy this book. The first
one I gave as a gift to a friend who was home bound.
The book I recently bought was in excellent shape, practically in mint condi-
tion --- library cover and stamp; looked like it had never been read. The price was
fabulous ($6.50 total, inc. p/h for a $30 book). The delivery time was extremely prompt. I will definitely keep looking and buying.
Carlos R. Garcia

Unfortunately in Cuban history there are very few good guys and an abudance of the bad and the ugly. No doubts Fulgencio Batista is one of the latter. In this well researched and written book, Frank Argote-Freyre provide us with a very good insight in the particular of Cuban history of the 1930s and the emergence of Batista as a military and political leader.Definitely it is not a biography since it is apparent that not enough information is available on the private life of the then young and emerging strongman. But it is an excellent account of a very traumatic period in the history of Cuba and the role played by Fulgencio Batista in it.

What is a fascinating story of the rise of a poor sugar cane cutter to the presidency of Cuba at age 39 is diluted buy the continuous repetition of the same events over and over again. The book should had been told in one half of the pages used and it should had included volume two.

I do not know if this review will ever be published by Amazon. In my opinion this book is very good. Fulgencio Batista was one of the best presidents of the republic of free Cuba. During his regime backwardness, poverty, and ignorance was not prevalent. Law and order was enforced to the max, and that was to control the malcontents who were out to destroy democracy in a booming Island with a bright future. Batista made only one mistake, and that was that he became complacent, and the left wing immediately took advantage of the situation to lie and deprive the Cuban people of their freedom, by installing a senile ideology that has turned around the country approximately 200 years back in time, making it one of the most impoverished countries in the world. It's humiliating to see how a country so rich in everything has been destroyed by a communist system that never worked any were else! We need more Batistas to bring back Cuba to reality, democracy and normality in the Island again. I'm sorry to disappoint all the left wing sympathizers out there. But, we Cubans had it made before the current sorry government took over in January 01, 1959. With the current Government, Cuba has nothing to offer to the world, except ignorance, pestilence, famine, and backwardness, what a shame. And who needs that! Buy the book, I highly recommend it! I'm looking forward to the second part.