The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera: A Novel [Paperback]

J. Joaquin Fraxedas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 15, 1994

In the middle of a moonless night on a deserted beach east of Havana three men lash inner tubes together to make a flimsy raft they slide into the surf. Desperate to escape a society gone wrong, they risk an incredible journey across the more than ninety miles of treacherous waters that separate the island of Cuba from the Florida Keys.

In this powerful and lyrical novel, J. Joaquin Fraxedas has crafted an epic story of three courageous men, men willing to endure the hazards of the open sea, men caught in the mindless violence of a hurricane with noting to hang on to but an inner tube, men willing to die in their attempt to gain freedom.

Superbly written, The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera is profoundly moving tribute to one of the great tragedies of our time.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Three men flee Castro's Cuba in 1990 on a makeshift raft bound for Florida in this harrowing, taut yet lyrical first novel. Fraxedas, who escaped Communist Cuba at the age of 10 and now practices law in Orlando, has flown rescue missions to pick up Cuban raft people, and he puts his firsthand knowledge to good use. The protagonist, physics professor Juan Cabrera, watches helplessly as gunmen on a Cuban patrol boat fatally shoot one of his two companions; later, his other mate is devoured by a shark in a terrifyingly real scene. Other scenes introduce Juan's girlfriend Carmen, an artist who once worked for Castro's propaganda machine but recently defected to Miami, where we are introduced to an assortment of Cuban exiles aching with longing for their homeland. The main focus, however, is on Juan's inner struggle to overcome his massive guilt for decades of silent accommodating a tyrannical regime. Flashbacks graphically reenact the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, showing how CIA officiers' condescension toward Cuban recruits contributed to disaster. A Spanish-language edition, La Traversia Solitaria de Juan Cabrera ($18.95 *
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Allegedly the first instance of a major publisher's marketing bilingual editions of the same novel, this modern odyssey is based on the author's interviews as a volunteer rescue pilot with Cuban refugees who, under cover of darkness, waded off into the 90-mile strait between Cuba and Florida clutching any flotation available. Juan Cabrera, a Cuban professor of physics and astronomy who learned early to deny his upper-class origins, persuades two friends to escape with him on a raft made of three inner tubes. One, Andres, is shot by the Cuban coast guard even before they start while the other, Raul, is eaten by a shark. Juan survives, but only after the death of the volunteer pilot who spots him. Juan faces the task of building a new life but also the greater struggle of resolving his guilt for living at the expense of three others. This novel perfectly captures the pathos of Cuba. Highly recommended.
- Jack Shreve, Allegany Community Coll., Cumberland, Md.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 174 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (April 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312110227
• ISBN-13: 978-0312110222
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,107,027 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a pearl of a book among swine, June 9, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera (Hardcover)

it was so refreshing to find a book you could not put down. after reading all the best sellers out there and yawning after every page, i was lucky to find this one on my own on a flight to atlanta. what a talented artist this guy is!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Glad he made it, December 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera: A Novel (Paperback)

This book is written in a simple and eloquent style and succeeds at conveying the horror and courage of the Cuban raft experience. It's written in the style of "The Old Man and the Sea" and should appeal to readers of all ages. Quite a triumph for the author, if he himself made a journey like this (it seems that he must have, given the knowing detail).

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A confession from an 11th grade student, August 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera: A Novel (Paperback)

I am one of those people who hate reading. The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera was assigned to me for summer reading. After reading this book I have a new appreciation for books and literature. This is definatly an excellent book.