Product Description

A unique and revelatory first-hand account of life in post-Cold War Cuba.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #352751 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 409 pages

NEW YORK TIMES REVIEW
'An inspired record of four years in Fidel Castro's Cuba…Always striking'

LOS ANGELES TIMES
`Sharp and sassy…telling and incisive'

USA TODAY
'Fascinating and indelible images of the everyday reality'

Customer Reviews

A Soulless Account
A soulless acount of a cras nouveau riche Amercian being forced to reside in the rich cultural island of Cuba. Everywhere she went she denigrated the locals, some say she was honest but I say she just has no diplomacy or empathy with the people of Cuba. Every hotel or whatever she visited she would point out the inadequacies of the food, state of the place/people - Darling CUBA is SUFFERING and so are ITS PEOPLE they do not need a cras self-indulgent ignorant materialistic person like you always pointing out their foibles.

I could go on but she is not worth discussing - when I visit Cuba this year I shall take extra soap etc but not for MYSELF but for the people!

This book is horrible, horrible, horrible and so is its author

What A Load of Rubbish!
This book is only of minimal interest if you would like to know how a rich, spoiled US woman is able to almost completely seal herself off from the community she lives in whilst constantly complaining that things aren't exactly the same as the US.

The part where she agonizes that Cubans may be peeking through gaps in the high fence and barbed-wire surrounding her air-conditioned, satellite-TV-installed, servant-filled mansion and watching them swim in her luxury private swimming pool was jaw-droppingly comical!

I felt so sorry for her poor spoiled and ruined children who after three years of living on the island had absolutely no Cuban friends whatsoever and seemed terrified of having any contact with them.

I too was very sorry I had bought this book and wished I hadn't wasted my money.

Pompous and Infuriating
I read 1/4 of this book before becoming too disgusted to waste my time going any further. It's the diary of a spoiled, arrogant, ignorant housewife who enjoys name-dropping (zzzzzz) and shows little compassion for Cuban people and their struggles.

I could not believe I wasted my time learning about how this pathetic woman had nothing better to do with her time than worry about whether or not one of her six "hired help" stole some toilet paper from her home. Or become annoyed when a school asks her for detergent to help ensure the school is sanitary. This -- during a time when Cubans are starving in the streets.

Her child gets a rash from swimming, so she builds a $40,000 pool in her backyard. Yet she has absolutely no class or self respect when it comes to respecting the government's policy that health care is free for Cubans -- but wealthy foreigners should pay. This pathetic woman has no qualms about weaseling in on "Cuban days" to see a pediatrician for free, and then complains at how disgusted the doctors are when they see her.

I'm going to try to return this book from the store I bought it at. I can't believe a publisher actually paid to print this idiotic book.