Travel to Cuba

This Is Cuba: An Outlaw Culture Survives

Format: Paperback
Author: Ben Corbett
ReleaseDate: 30 March, 2004
Publisher: Westview Press
Rating:

New relevance with Fidel Castro faltering
While Corbett's book is apologetic in its initial undertaking (Corbett admits about halfway through that "I really believe in Castro's Socialist vision, but. Ben Corbett's "This Is Cuba" has new relevance in a surprising new world in which we encounter Fidel Castro's sudden fallibility. . . it seemed more and more futile"), I think the triumph of the work is you see and feel his learning and refining that position as he works his way through the island. [And let's be clear: Corbett really earns major respect here - he's gathers up the story literally street by street, house by house in Havana and elsewhere. ] So we get nice, sharp little vignettes like this:

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"The government does nothing for the people," Enrique explained. "Never. "

"But this is a Socialist. . . "

"Cuba is not Socialist," he stopped me cold. "Cuba is centralist. "
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Corbett reports episodes like this over and over, until at the end, he comes up with this (and it really hits the mark right now):

"Today, Castro is irrelevant. He's only holding up the show. . . He lives in the past and cannot move forward. This is not the destiny the Cuban people envision for themselves. There is only one place for Castro to go, and that is to the grave. . . The ultimate truth for Fidel Castro is very sad. In the depths of his mind he realizes he has lost his people. "

So, why the four stars? I still think "Cuba Diaries" by 'Isadora Tattlin' (an assumed name) is the better book of this genre. I was totally fascinated by that work, as is everyone else to whom I have recommended it. It's tremendous. .

Excellent book to learn about "The Real Cuba"
He is passionate about Cuba and it shows in his well-written book on how Cuban society really works. Cuba is an island of extremes and that comes through in author Ben Corbett's book, "This Is Cuba: An Outlaw Culture Survives". He is knowledgeable and gives a balanced view on the successes and failures of Castro's Cuba. Corbett adequately explains how the regime tries to grab every dollar from its people and also tells how the Revolution has given Cubans a purpose and resolve against overwhelming odds. He predicts the future after Castro dies and I hope he writes a followup book now that the end seems near. .

In a few words
In a few words:
Pro-Cuba, Anti-Castro, Good and entertaining writing.

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	Cuba Diaries: An American Housewife in Havana