Cuba Rising: An American Insider's Perspective

Having just completed writing the memoirs of my friend, who escaped from Cuba decades ago, I have a particular interest in the Cuba of today. I believe this book, Cuba Rising, provides as accurate an account as is possible to obtain. The writer's chronicle of his own experiences in Cuba within the last decade portrays how terrible tyrannical rule really is. He also describes, in detail, the lack of adequate housing, food, the barest of life's necessities; but the resilience of the Cuban people, their joy in music and dancing still exists. The greatest lack in Cuba is freedom.

Read this book in preparation for a trip to Cuba. I found it to be a great means of gaining a broad perspective on the country from someone who clearly has considerably more first hand knowledge of the country than most.

Poetic and full of information. Often difficult to do.

The author has a vast knowledge of the ebb and flow of Cuban culture from pre-Castro to today. He has spent much time traveling the country on numerous adventures. As one assimilates the tales it becomes obvious that he has and maintains many important long-term friendships with an interesting cross section of Cuba's personages. Picked this up as a primer for a first visit to Cuba and was not disappointed. Great insight into the country and it's culture!

Fascinating book about a snapshot in time in Cuban life. But know that it is only that, a snapshot. Cuba is changing so fast now that much of what Jonathan Showe reports is no longer current.

I've only been to Cuba only 20 times in 15 years. The writer paid the island more than 70 visits in 12 years. So he made more observations and with his international experience and working decades for the US-government his approach of Cuba, not just as an island like others, is one of a' croniqueur ' as well as a passionate observer and storyteller.As a matter of fact I don't agree with all of his interpretations but I may say that it is one of the best books I ever read about Cuba, especially because he's a US-citizen. I say this because we Europeans lost Cuba to them and only since the last 50 years it belongs to the Cubans.Although influenced by US-media some of us are capable to observe Cuba as a sovereign state that is making his own history now. I know it's not as easy as it sounds and that's where Showe did a great job trying to understand and explain what is happening over-there and why it's so special and difficult to understand : " Cuba is not just a state, it's a state of mind " as he writes so beautifully.The more you study on Cuba the more it seems impossible to demystify.But Stowe makes it look so easy, amusing, hurting, laughable, interesting, fascinating and enjoyable at the same time. This doesn't make sense you shall say, well that's all it is about in Cuba, the state of mind is a state of contradictions. This book reveals all these impressions, impossible to be objective, a headache for anthropologists.Fascinating is all you can say, economically poor, culturally rich, historically important.Interested or not you'll read this book as a novel.

A shallow, superficial profile of Cuba written by someone who no real insight into Cuban history.

This book is fascinating, up to date and well written. A must read for anyone interested in Cuba's history, people, rum, cigars, economy and world status.