Adios, Havana: A Memoir

by Andrew J. Rodriguez

Book Overview

Havana . . . lilting rumbas, cafe con leche, sultry sea breezes. Sparkling white beaches by day, scintillating nightclubs after dark. This sophisticated, international capital was the crown jewel of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1598000489
• ISBN13: 9781598000481
• Release Date: August 2005
• Publisher: Outskirts Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.1" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

An enlightening, must read.

Andrew Rodriquez's memoir revealing the trials and tribulations of departing a once beloved country --leaving behind family and disillusioned hopes and dreams of a democratic Cuba -- in pursuit of humanity's potential in the "American dream," is an essential read for understanding the fragility of freedom and the price one is willing to pay to provide freedom's privilege for future generations.

Interested in Cuba and its people? . . . read this book.

Adios, Havana Andrew J. Rodriguez Outskirts Press 10940 S. Parker Rd - 515, Denver, CO USA www.outskirtspress.com ISBN: 1598000489, $14.95, 262 pp. 2005 I specialize in reviewing Print-On-Demand (POD) published books, primarily because many reviewers in the "traditional book reviewing community" are not interested in them-regardless of how well-written or engaging. There is a strong resistance within this community, and a POD author would be fortunate, indeed, to receive any acknowledgment to his/her query-they simply ignore you. This, I'm certain, will change in time . . . helped along by quality, well-written, and touching memoirs such as this one. I quote from the back cover: "Adios, Havana is a true account of romance and peril, adventure and patriotism. Fueled by love-love of family, of country, and of each other-a young couple must face the most wrenching of choices: remain in the country they cherish, lose the wealth and position their families strove for generations to attain, and watch their children grow up impoverished under a terrifying regime; or risk escaping with no money or possessions and leave behind all they have ever know to begin a new life in a strange land. A legacy to future generations, this memoir is intended to remind readers of the fragility of freedom . . . to describe the disintegration of a prosperous civilized society and offer counsel on how to prevent a similar catastrophe from happening in America . . . and to show how and why penniless refugees flourish in the land of the free-why anyone who resists oppression would be driven to tell his beloved homeland, Adios." I could not have said it better. The extraordinary beauty of Cuba and the Cuban culture, prior to Castro, come to life through this book, as do the difficult decisions these successful families had to make and the realities of being Cuban refugees in Little Havana, USA. The generosity of the American people to help . . . also comes to life. Andy and Margarita's beautiful love story weaves its way through history and binds it all together. This book is well-written, well-edited, compelling and sensitive. The author has an educated vocabulary, uses unique similes and metaphors, and is so kind as to translate the Spanish phrases he uses throughout. In addition to this memoir, Andrew J. Rodriquez has authored The Teleportation of an American Teenager. Reviewer: Kaye Trout of Kaye Trout Book Reviews - Copyright 2006

Adventure, Love, and Free Enterprise!

Review of "Adios, Havana: A Memoir" by Andrew J. Rodriguez; review by Walden P. Pratt Andrew Rodriguez grew up in pre-Castro Cuba of the 1950s, where there was relative freedom and prosperity, casinos and nightclubs, even under the corrupt government of the despot Batista. In this exciting memoir he writes vividly of his teenage years in a middle-class Havana family, learning about the threats of Communism from his father, but also hanging out with his buddies: ogling girls, and snorkeling and fishing in the blue waters of the Alligator Island-an idyllic life for a teenage boy. He also writes of the dangers of foregoing the politically correct La Universidad de La Habana in order to attend a private school at night to learn accounting-a profession that he found totally boring, although it would one day support his family for a time. He writes of the enthusiasm with which the populace greeted the "savior" Castro in his first parade-and then of the gradual disillusionment as the reality of a new and even worse dictatorship set in; of elation, then sudden letdown, when the Bay of Pigs invasion collapsed. It is a story of living first in frustration and later in perpetual danger, of a yearning to escape tyranny but the fear of fatal consequences if such an attempt should fail. But this is also very much a love story-a story of Andrew's unswerving devotion to Margarita, the cultured, well-educated beauty with whom he fell in love, almost literally at first sight. He writes with delightful candor about their courtship, the games they both played as they overcame their shyness, but also the deep, abiding love that grew as they learned more about each other and eventually married. He writes suspensefully of their escape from Cuba in November 1961, and of the endless bureaucratic tangles that had to be navigated for permission to leave. He tells of the close call with the authorities on his departure; and of Margarita's arriving at Miami airport a day later, unable to speak English and with her beloved Andy nowhere in sight. Finally, this is a modern Horatio Alger story of American free enterprise, of how the Rodriguezes arrived in Miami almost penniless, and how Andy felt blessed to work at any job he could find, however menial or repulsive. He writes poignantly of their later move to Colorado under the sponsorship of a local church, and of their incredulous feelings at the overwhelming kindness of these strangers who provided food, housing, and love. And finally, he describes how, through a combination of hard work and Divine providence, they built a highly successful business that has enabled them to retire in comfort. That Castro still rules Cuba must surely be heartbreaking to the countless thousands of Cuban immigrants who loved that beautiful island nation as it once was. Rodriguez's glimpse of life there before and after Castro took over, and his account of the adventure of starting a new life in the U.S., is a compelling tale in

Passionate man's story of love, repatriotism and success

Genre: Memoirs Title: Adios Havana AUTHOR: Andrew J. Rodriguez Andrew Rodriguez is a passionate man; passionate about the country of his birth, passionate about his life and passionate about his woman. When Fidel Castro turns the author's Cuban paradise into a living hell, Andrew is faced with a decision that will affect not only his life, but the life of the woman he loves and their future together. Must he turn his back on his past to embrace an unknown future? Can they sacrifice their wealth and position and start over with nothing in a strange land? Adios Havana is a true account of one family's struggle to leave the country that it loves and make a new life in America. It is a tale of love, endurance and determination that will pull at the reader's heartstrings. Each chapter will bring tears, laughter and joy as the story enfolds. The author has a unique talent for making the reader a part of the story as the characters become friends and their fate is anxiously awaited page after page. This book is a success story with a happy ending to be enjoyed and shared with family and friends. Immigrants and refugees from all over the globe will identify with the trials and tribulations encountered when seeking a new life in a new land. It is the author's intent to remind readers of the fragility of freedom and to encourage them to take nothing for granted. A book that should be read by everyone, it emphasizes the importance of freedom and offers counsel in preventing such a situation in this the "Land of the Free." He makes his point well in an entertaining format. Author Andrew J. Rodriguez retired as CEO of a spice and seasonings business in Colorado. He and his wife Margarita enjoy spending their time in Florida and Colorado. Adios Havana follows his first historical fiction, The Teleportation of an American Teenager. Highly recommended. Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews. Title: Adios Havana Author: Andrew J. Rodriguez Publisher: Outskirts Press ISBN: 1-59800-048-9 Pages: 262 Price: $14.95

The book is a must read

Every American should read the stories of those who have chosen to live here. Those who complain about life in a land of opportunity should consider what other options they have and be grateful. In a memoir of his leaving his beloved island behind in order to make a new life for his wife and himself, Andrew J. Rodriguez brings the reader to Cuba and offers a sense of the insecurity, the lack of privacy and the burning hope for change. Rodriguez allows the reader to feel his emotions as he made the decision to leave Cuba, jumped through the outrageous hoops to be able to do so, and came face to face with the reality of starting over in the United States. What's more is that he shares the details of his parents' lives, and his in-laws' lives, and the story of his wife's 110-year-old grandfather. Through it all Rodriguez offers to readers the honest memories of his past, not holding back the intimate details of living. I've always wanted to visit Cuba and through the pages of "Adios, Havana" I was able to do so. I witnessed the beauty of it and the culture that permeates Andrew's story. I also witnessed the deception of Castro and the result of his coming to power. I can only be grateful that I was born in America and mindful that others weren't. Rodriguez shares the details of his coming to America and the struggle to find his own American Dream. Through this portion of the book one is reminded that opportunities are out there and it is up to the person in need of them to find them. With a style that is open and honest, Andrew's writing is smooth and easy to read. Like chatting with an old friend over coffee, it is easy to be caught up in the tale. Readers will care what happens to Andrew and his family and this personal story tells me so much more than I ever learned about Cuba in school. Here is a family legacy to be proud of. The book is a must read, in my opinion, and one that you won't soon forget. Review by Heather Froeschl.