Real Life in Castro's Cuba

by Catherine Moses

Book Overview

This new book provides a first-hand, grassroots look at life in Cuba, including very vivid descriptions of its people and places. Real Life in Castro's Cuba illuminates the human face of Cuba, which over the years has largely been hidden in the shadow of Fidel Castro.

Real Life in Castro's Cuba is written by Catherine Moses, who lived and worked in Cuba as a press secretary and spokesperson for the United States from 1995 to 1996...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0842028374
• ISBN13: 9780842028370
• Release Date: November 1999
• Publisher: Globe Pequot Publishing Group Inc/Bloomsbury
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

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A really great book with lots of insight into the day-to-day going ons of REAL Cuban people. Moses does an excellent job of incorporating the social, cultural, and political feelings of Cuba into the mix.

Ms Abbey's review misses the point

Reading the long-time review-of-the-day by Ms. Abbey, I find myself wondering if she read the same book I did. In each instance, her criticism is diametrically opposed to my perception of the book's intent and content. I did not see Ms. Moses showing "naïve judgment of the successes of the revolution." Rather, I read a deeply personal description of "los Cubanos." This is not a political work. Ms. Moses has chosen to not condemn governments, but to depict with crystal clarity the day-to-day struggles faced by those who would continue to live in Cuba. I certainly did not find her comparisons between life in Cuba and in the USA chauvinistic. Furthermore, I consider Ms. Abbey's suggestion of comparing Cuba to other Caribbean or Latin American countries intellectual snobbery. If one is trying to bring home to a lay readership the realities of Cuban life, one doesn't compare it to an equally foreign standard. For example, if I want to convey to American readers how much an item costs a German, I convert the price to US currency, not that of neighboring EU-mate Austria. This is not an example of American economic egocentrism. It is merely ensuring that the reader understands the writer. Ms. Moses compares Cuba to America because that is the standard Americans know. Regarding the embargo, again I do not believe Ms. Moses discounted its impact. She did not blame the deprivation of Cubans on the embargo, but neither did she blame it on Cuban governmental mismanagement. She described conditions with a minimum of editorializing, either pro- or anti-Castro. (While I can only speculate, rather than a defense of US policy, I read opposition to the embargo "between the lines" of her writing.) I was not surprised by her reaction to the Cuban government's treatment of gifts of books and printed materials from the US Interests Section. Once I recognized the obvious affection Ms. Moses holds for Cubans (which Ms. Abbey acknowledges), I saw hurt in her reaction to their rejection. Whether Ms. Moses is old enough to remember Red Scare days is not important since her reaction is not revulsion to a political ideology. It is the hurt felt by a friend when a gift is rejected. Yes, that may be a trifle naïve given her official position, but it is nonetheless admirable. Would that all US diplomats felt so toward their assigned countries. Ms. Abbey's review seems to come from a belief that a book on Cuba that fails to condemn US policy thereby defends it. Wrong! Ms. Moses' descriptions of the Cuban people transcend policy and politics. This is as it should be since the subjects of her description have no opportunity to affect either. They are "los olvidados" [the Forgotten Ones] and Ms. Moses has spoken eloquently on their behalf. What is this book NOT? It is not a travelogue, although the beauty of the island is described in detail. It is not a political screed against the Castro regime or US policy, although their gr

A Practical Approach to Understanding Cuba's Current Status

When I started reading this book, I could not put it down. This book is the most practical that I have read on understanding Cuba today. I am a graduate student planning to travel to Cuba this summer for research and every question and concern that came to my mind was answered in this book. It is very easy to read and I feel like I am well prepared for travel to Cuba. It is a must read for anyone planning to travel to Cuba. I will recommend it to anyone interested in the country. Great Book!

Excellent overview of Cuban sentiment and experience.

Catherine Moses's Real Life In Castro's Cuba provides an excellent overview of Cuban sentiment and daily experiences. First-person insights gather the realities of life and perceptions in Cuba adding a healthy dose of historical background and details on relationships between the two countries as perceived by the common man.

A well rounded look at Cuba

All those whose interest in Cuba has been caught by the plight of little Elian Gonzales would do well to read Catherine Moses' evenhanded and compassionate take on Cuba. Ms. Moses, a diplomat assigned to the U.S. Interests Section in Havana for 20 months, writes with the painterly eye of a fiction writer yet also with the precision of a scholar, which she is. With no exploitative interests in Cuba, hers is a unique position from which to view this society. Her book is rich in details about the daily life and work of the people, the history of the revolution and the American relationship to Cuba in recent years. Those who need a refresher course on the Migration Accords or the Fifth Party Pelenum can learn the details here. What is most powerful about the book however, is not its delineation of politics and policy, but its deep appreciation of the spiritual vibrancy and love of life of the Cuban people. If you are interested in Cuba, I can't think of a better place to start.