The Reader's Companion to Cuba (Paperback)

by Alan Ryan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Journalist Ryan (Reader's Companion to Mexico, Harcourt, 1993) has brought together articles excerpted from the works of 23 authors, ranging from Anthony Trollope to Pico Iyer, who give us a portrait of Cuba as seen through travelers' eyes. The pieces are arranged chronologically, starting in 1859 and ending in 1992. Richard Henry Dana and Anthony Trollope visited the island at the same time and had very different views. Dana loved it, but Trollope found few attractions in Havana. He thought that the United States should take it over, as indeed the United States wanted to do. Langston Hughes, in his 1930 visit, found the color bar worked against him, mostly because of American influence. While this is not a political book, most of the recent authors find the American embargo and policies to be wrong-headed, though many find flaws in the policies of the Cuban government. This is an excellent book for anyone, but if a trip to Cuba is anticipated, it would be a profitable reading experience.?George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, Pa.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
Journalist Ryan (Reader's Companion to Mexico, Harcourt, 1993) has brought together articles excerpted from the works of 23 authors, ranging from Anthony Trollope to Pico Iyer, who give us a portrait of Cuba as seen through travelers' eyes. The pieces are arranged chronologically, starting in 1859 and ending in 1992. Richard Henry Dana and Anthony Trollope visited the island at the same time and had very different views. Dana loved it, but Trollope found few attractions in Havana. He thought that the United States should take it over, as indeed the United States wanted to do. Langston Hughes, in his 1930 visit, found the color bar worked against him, mostly because of American influence. While this is not a political book, most of the recent authors find the American embargo and policies to be wrong-headed, though many find flaws in the policies of the Cuban government. This is an excellent book for anyone, but if a trip to Cuba is anticipated, it would be a profitable reading experience. George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, Pa.
(Library Journal )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Harvest Books; 1 edition (April 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156003678
• ISBN-13: 978-0156003674
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #595,504 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading, March 27, 2000

By	Darryl Sheppard (Washington D.C.) - See all my reviews

The Reader's Companion to Cuba is one of an excellent series in the Readers Companion books from Harvest. Edited by Alan Ryan, who edited all of the books in this series, this book is required reading for anyone expecting to travel to Cuba or to any student that is studying Cuba to any degree. The book is a chronicle of Cuba from the mid 1800s to the 90s seen through the eyes of various witnesses including such literary greats as Langston Hughes, Amiri Bakari(formally Leroi Jones, poet and playwrite of the such works as the Dutchman ). One simply can not write a book about Cuba without including something about the late legend, Ernest Hemingway. Arnold Samuelson, Norman Lewis, and Martha Gellhorn, one of Hemingway's many former wives fulfill this task beautifully. It also includes an account from sports great Tommy Lasorda who played in Cuba during the off season. There's even an account about mob activities during the reign of Fugencio Batista by Frank Ragano and Selwyn Raab.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The thinking man's guide to Cuba, January 5, 1999

By	Dick ([e-mail]) (Mukilteo, WA.) - See all my reviews

A marvelous compilation and literary review by some of the best writers of our time (and sojourners to Cuba)presented in chronological order from 1859 to the present. Gives the reader an extremely interesting persective of the history of Cuba and the travails of its people. One gets a virtual picture of the political, social, economic, and everyday life of the Cuban people through the eyes of a very diverse range of observers across a wide timespan (from Anais Nin to Tommy Lasorda and Graham Green to Tom Miller, to mention a few). A must read for those who want to visit there and experience the complete kalidescope that is Cuba.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Historical View of Cuba Travel, June 25, 2001

By	Jeffrey B. Livingston "Jeff Livingston" (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book just before my first trip to Cuba and found it a great way to take a historical look at the ways in which tourists have thought of Cuba for the past 300 years. I highly reccomend it.