Discovering the Real Beauty of Cuba


Book Description

Cuba is more than just an exploration of culture, tourism and people. It's actually an excellent place to visit when it comes to historical significance from past to present, for generations to come. For instance, Cuban society is rich in influences, although Cuban customs greatly vary which is dependent on certain cultural influences. This country is in fact located in the stunning Caribbean that comprises the mainland of Cuba called Isla de la Juventud, along with other archipelagos.Havana is actually the capital of Cuba, and is known to be the largest city. On the nearby islands, you will see the Caicos Islands, Turks, and Bahamas on the northeastern part while the US is seen from the northern part of Cuba. Haiti is on the southeastern part, Jamaica and Cayman Islands on the south, and Mexico to the west. The country was also dwelled in by Amerindian clans prior to Christopher Columbus' landing in 1492. Yet, Cuba continued to serve as a settlement for Spaniards until the onset of 1898's Spanish American war. Consequently, it achieved "nominal independence" as a US colony in the year 1902. The flimsy state suffered radical politics as well as social conflict despite the efforts of the people to strengthen their democratic system. Hence, Cuba was run by Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship in 1952. Up to date, with the increasing popularity of this tourist destination in the beautiful island of the Caribbean, Cuba strives to offer a great relaxation and a vacation paradise to those who want to fulfill an ultimate escapade with the entire family. For people who love to explore the beauty of the Caribbean peninsula, this is the best place to visit for an unforgettable holiday experience.




Cuba


Book Description

The United Nations declared the year 2002 as "The Year of the Mountains" and encouraged countries all over the world to have environmental conferences regarding the conservation of mountains. The Conference for the Caribbean and the Americas was held in Cuba, and Clyde Butcher was invited to photograph the mountains of Cuba for the conference. He spent three weeks photographing from the Sierra Maestra of the east coast to the mogote region of the west coast--rain forests, waterfalls, and cliffs that drop off into a perfect ocean. The beauty and majesty of Cuba's natural landscape are captured in his intimate compositions, their focus on shape and light, the horizon and the sky.




The Real Cuba - Black and White Street Photography


Book Description

Twenty-first century Cuba is culturally rich, economically poor and yet has an energy that is infectiously uplifting. It was eighteen years ago when Sarah, a photographer, first travelled to Cuba, so she was pleasantly surprised to find that on her second visit in 2013, visibly, not a great deal had changed. There is no McDonalds or garish neon advertising, and the old Chevrolet cars are still everywhere in 2013 Cuba. Cuba is an alluring country trapped in a 1950’s time warp - well-suited to capturing in black and white photography.Discovering the real Cuba on foot is the only way to explore the ‘gritty reality’ of the place. In this photographic book, Sarah wanders the back streets of beautiful Havana, the classical french architectural city of Cienfuegos and the enchanting 19th century colonial town of Trinidad, capturing the daily lives on the street - the real essence of Cuba.




Havana Real


Book Description

She's been kidnapped and beaten, lives under surveillance, and can only get online—in disguise—at tourist hotspots. She's a blogger, she's a Cuban, and she's a worldwide sensation. Yoani Sánchez is an unusual dissident: no street protests, no attacks on big politicos, no calls for revolution. Rather, she produces a simple diary about what it means to live under the Castro regime: the chronic hunger and the difficulty of shopping; the art of repairing ancient appliances; and the struggles of living under a propaganda machine that pushes deep into public and private life. For these simple acts of truth-telling her life is one of constant threat. But she continues on, refusing to be silenced—a living response to all who have ceased to believe in a future for Cuba.




The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba


Book Description

"At the end of the nineteenth century, three revolutionary women fight for freedom in ... Chanel Cleeton's ... novel inspired by real-life events and the true story of a legendary Cuban woman--Evangelina Cisneros--who changed the course of history"--




Letters from Cuba


Book Description

Pura Belpré Award Winner Ruth Behar's inspiring story of a Jewish girl who escapes Poland to make a new life in Cuba, where she works to rescue the rest of her family The situation is getting dire for Jews in Poland on the eve of World War II. Esther's father has fled to Cuba, and she is the first one to join him. It's heartbreaking to be separated from her beloved sister, so Esther promises to write down everything that happens until they're reunited. And she does, recording both the good--the kindness of the Cuban people and her discovery of a valuable hidden talent--and the bad: the fact that Nazism has found a foothold even in Cuba. Esther's evocative letters are full of her appreciation for life and reveal a resourceful, determined girl with a rare ability to bring people together, all the while striving to get the rest of their family out of Poland before it's too late. Based on Ruth Behar's family history, this compelling story celebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the most challenging times.




Havana Before Castro


Book Description

Take a trip to the golden age of Havana in this gorgeously illustrated volume of vintage photographs, postcards, brochures, and other ephemera. Featuring hundreds of historic images and cultural artifacts, Havana Before Castro documents how the Cuban capital evolved from a Prohibition Era getaway destination to a heady blend of glittering nightclubs, outrageous cabarets, all-night bars, and backstreet brothels. Here, captured in one amazing book, is the drama, passion, intrigue, and opulence of a legendary city during its heyday—before the Castro regime took over and Americans were banned from travel to this tropical paradise. In chapters covering such topics as Cuban rum and cigars, the world-famous Tropicana Club, and Havana’s association with the mob, author Peter Moruzzi provides essential historical context for the many fascinating and evocative images.




Next Year in Havana


Book Description

A HELLO SUNSHINE x REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICK "A beautiful novel that's full of forbidden passions, family secrets and a lot of courage and sacrifice."--Reese Witherspoon After the death of her beloved grandmother, a Cuban-American woman travels to Havana, where she discovers the roots of her identity--and unearths a family secret hidden since the revolution... Havana, 1958. The daughter of a sugar baron, nineteen-year-old Elisa Perez is part of Cuba's high society, where she is largely sheltered from the country's growing political unrest--until she embarks on a clandestine affair with a passionate revolutionary... Miami, 2017. Freelance writer Marisol Ferrera grew up hearing romantic stories of Cuba from her late grandmother Elisa, who was forced to flee with her family during the revolution. Elisa's last wish was for Marisol to scatter her ashes in the country of her birth. Arriving in Havana, Marisol comes face-to-face with the contrast of Cuba's tropical, timeless beauty and its perilous political climate. When more family history comes to light and Marisol finds herself attracted to a man with secrets of his own, she'll need the lessons of her grandmother's past to help her understand the true meaning of courage.




Exploring Cuba


Book Description

Exploring Cuba: Erasing Fears Through Multicultural Education details the cultural and professional exchanges to Cuba organized by the National Association of Multicultural Education (NAME) between 2015 and 2019, with additional reflections on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Cuba—U.S. relations. Because of the long-imposed U.S. embargo, or blockade, access to information about life in Cuba can be limited in the U.S. This book chronicles first-hand account of NAME’s trips to Cuba over a 5-year period. Interspersed with insights from U.S.-based multicultural educators, authors and Cuban delegates, it documents what NAME members learned about Cuba’s people, history, health care system, culture, arts, and education systems. It also explores the effects of the coronavirus global pandemic on Cuba and its vital tourist industry, as well as the July 2021 protests and aftermath, including a new wave of immigration to the U.S. The book argues for the end of the U.S. embargo with Cuba and the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries, so that unrestricted tourism and trade can benefit both countries. Combining travelogue observations with statistics and scholarly accounts, this volume will be useful reading for scholars and students of Multicultural Education, International Education and Comparative Education. It will also be beneficial to educators and Cuba solidarity activists.




The Cuban Table


Book Description

The Cuban Table is a comprehensive, contemporary overview of Cuban food, recipes and culture as recounted by serious home cooks and professional chefs, restaurateurs and food writers. Cuban-American food writer Ana Sofia Pelaez and award-winning photographer Ellen Silverman traveled through Cuba, Miami and New York to document and learn about traditional Cuban cooking from a wide range of authentic sources. Cuban home cooks are fiercely protective of their secrets. Content with a private kind of renown, they demonstrate an elusive turn of hand that transforms simple recipes into bright and memorable meals that draw family and friends to their tables time and again. More than just a list of ingredients or series of steps, Cuban cooks' tricks and touches hide in plain sight, staying within families or being passed down in well-worn copies of old cookbooks largely unread outside of the Cuban community. Here you'll find documented recipes for everything from iconic Cuban sandwiches to rich stews with Spanish accents and African ingredients, accompanied by details about historical context and insight into cultural nuances. More than a cookbook, The Cuban Table is a celebration of Cuban cooking, culture and cuisine. With stunning photographs throughout and over 110 deliciously authentic recipes this cookbook invites you into one of the Caribbean's most interesting and vibrant cuisines.