Moon Handbooks: Cuba (1st Ed.) (Paperback)

~ Christopher P. Baker (Author) "Outside Cuba, all phone and fax numbers given here need to be preceded by "53-7," the codes for Cuba and Havana respectively, except where area..." (more)
Key Phrases: usual criollo fare, basic criollo fare, tourist bus departs, Habana Vieja, Santa Clara, Santiago de Cuba (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The thought of Cuba conjures images and associations with Castro politics and contraband cigars, but a visit reveals more: vibrant hummingbirds, corral-colored flamingos, a profusion of insect life, and miles of sugarcane. The Cuba Handbook tells the oft-neglected details of Cuba's history, from slave trading to the U.S. embargo. But like the sidebar on Cuban cigars, the information is merely an aside, for this is a practical book: you'll find out how to gain entrance, where to stay, and what to eat, plus the scoop on all of the beaches, Hemingway memorials, and Revolution museums you could desire. There's sailing and golf, bird watching and scuba diving, and Cuban baseball. There's ballet, cabarets, and the ubiquitous beat of salsa throbbing in the night air. A vivid, engaging Cuba, peopled by Cubans justly renowned for their warmth, awaits.

From Library Journal

The first of these works is a guidebook?and an excellent one at that. Baker, who has traveled extensively in Cuba and written other guidebooks and magazine articles, gives a general introduction to his subject, with tips on getting to Cuba, hotels, money, and all the usual things one expects from a guide. But his book has a special twist for Americans because of the embargo. After introductory material on history, flora and fauna, the Helms-Burton bill, Castro, and many, many other topics, the book is organized by region, with maps, hotels, tips on getting there, etc. This excellent work is one of the most thorough guidebooks this reviewer has ever seen. Highly recommended. The author of two other works on Latin America, Schwartz has written not a guidebook but a well-researched description of tourism in Cuba, mainly from the Twenties to the Sixties. The emphasis is on American tourists, the most numerous until Castro, and the history is chronological, showing how World Wars I and II affected Cuban industry. Schwartz describes the Mafia influence and the state of tourism since Castro, and she also considers how tourism affects a country, any country, which makes interesting reading. An excellent history that should have broad appeal, this is scholarly but not dull.?George M. Jenks, Bucknell Univ., Lewisburg, PA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 714 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; 1 edition (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566910951
• ISBN-13: 978-1566910958
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,389,864 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than a travel guide..., January 15, 2000

By	KAH "Headache free in Colorado" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've recently returned from a month-long working trip in Cuba. I read this book before going, while there and once again upon my return. Not only was the travel information accurate and thorough, I was well prepared for understanding the people and the culture. I am writing an article about my experiences there and find myself returning to the book for details that need reconfirming. It is much more than a travel guide....

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive, easy-to-read, informative, and entertaining., July 12, 1999

By A Customer

This was a terrific orientation to Cuba. Christopher Baker gave a thorough overview of the political and historical climate of the country, and his descriptions of the people and culture were always on target. He really demystified the labyrinth of getting into, around, and out of Cuba. We read the book as intently on our last day as we did before we arrived, always finding some new insight on every page. After looking at all of the other Cuba guidebooks, this is clearly the only one anyone could need.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best travelbook for Cuba, no doubt about it !!!, March 23, 1999

By	Danny Seegers ([e-mail]) (Netherlands) - See all my reviews

This is the best travelbook for Cuba, we have been there in feb '99 and even compared this book with The Lonely Planet. All (experienced) travellers agreed this book from Moon was much better than the Lonely Planet!!