books

[kangalau]

I'm looking for books about Cuba, but nothing to do with politicians and government, I'm looking for novels and stories about everyday cuban life. People, legends, stories, etc.
Could anybody suggest me something?

[Cec-uk]

Not being difficult or patronizing here but really it is easy :
without order of preference
Zoe Valdes
Reinaldo Arenas
Alejo Carpentier
Jose Lezama Lima
Virgilio Pinera
Guillermo Cabrera Infante
and that is only a few.
Otherwise I also really appreciated
Olivier Languepin Cuba - la faillite d'une utopie
Stephen Smith - The land of miracles
both very good reads on Cuba

Good read.
If you hit anything real good let us know!

[suenoazur]

Sorry, I don't know the english titles. My favorites.
'Ernesto Guevara tambien conocido as el Che' (Ernesto Guevara AKA el Che should be the translation) is in my opinion the best biography about El Che but also a good book about the cuban revolution.
'La Havana para un infante defunto' from Cabrera Infante is the story of a boy discovering both women and La Havana. It takes place before the revolution but a very good book to understand cuban way of life. Each time I go to watch a movie, I think of the book. I you want to know the extend of cuban litterature, 'Tres tristes tigres' from the same author is a good book, but really difficult. He envisions all writing styles and there are a lot of references really above my head.
Leonardo Padura has written 4 black novels, each for every season (Pasado Perfecto should be the first, if I remember well).
I like to search 'ferias de libros' (this book markets you meet in the streets) and got there some treasures (although best places are not in the streets). One is a Chandler compilation in espanol (La dama del lago, ...) with a preface from Padura talking about social representation in Chandler's books.

[suenoazur]

I forgot to say : some of this books (and a lot of other ones) are prohibited in Cuba. I never got a problem, but don't go through customs with it under the arm. Also, don't let a book or a magazine with photos of - for instance, official cuban authorities, know what I mean - on a table in the family you're living because it could put them in trouble. A trick : if you get such an official visit, some glasses of old rhum (ron anejo) could help nicely (but to propose the bottle is not the right idea).

[Cec-uk]

Searching for Leonardo Padura on Amazon.uk I found a book published in 05/01 from John M.Kirk and Leonardo Padura Fuentes "Culture and the Cuban Revolution", a bit on the expensive side...