Cuba: A New History

Honestly folks, really I needed to come over the pessimistic catastrophic scenarios of contemporary global events and their intrepid interpreters, so here are some books I have recently read instead on Cuban history, on its regional impact and on the Bolivàrian revolution in Venezuela, as an antidote. Despite the massive bibliography on Cuba's revolution, remarkably few books in English cover the island's story from its earliest days. This alone justifies ex-Guardian Latin American specialist Richard Gott's new work, Cuba: A New History, Yale University Press, 2004 [Yale Nota Bene paperback, 2005] 325 pages [alt. 359 incl. Notes]. Like his informative articles on Latin America over the past 40 years, this book is easy to read, comprehensive, thoroughly researched and partisan.Hugh Thomas's 1971 book, Cuba - the inevitable comparison -starts only in 1762, with the British invasion of Havana that gave a major boost to the import of slaves and the sugar industry, and stops with the early years of the Revolution. However, Gott begins with the irruption of the Spanish adventurers in 1511, although he provides some sense of the shifting indigenous populations, Taínos, Guanahatabeyes and Siboneys, who made their way up from the mainland's Orinoco delta through the vast Caribbean archipelago in pre-Colombian times; and he brings the story of the Cuban revolution up to the present day, with an new Epilogue.Gott is also more concerned to trace historical continuities: geographic and climatic determinants (including those `malignant forces which took the form of winds of awesome proportions' that the Taínos dubbed the huracán); piracy and corruption; social and racial strife; the pervasiveness of Africanity and the terrified white consciousness of neighbouring Haiti; all in the context of an overarching dependence on foreign empires, whether Spanish, British, American or Russian.Born in 1783, midway between the US Declaration of Independence and the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789, Simón Bolívar's life and ideas were stamped--though asymmetrically--by both events. If the British could be driven out of North America by a people belonging to the same race and religion, why not the Spaniards in the South? The three hundred years of colonial rule that had followed the 1521 fall of Mexico were more than enough. And if the wisdom of the French Enlightenment had laid the foundations of the French Revolution, might it not serve the same purpose in Spanish America?Travelling through Europe in the early 1800s, Bolívar would compare the decay and lethargy of the Madrid Court with the ferment of revolutionary Paris, albeit on the eve of Napoleon's coronation. Till the emperor's final defeat and the Restoration, Paris would remain qualitatively superior to Madrid and quantitatively ahead of Philadelphia.And, of course, there was always sly, opportunist and expansionist London, which was not to be ignored. Despite the loss of its American colonies, it remained the hub of a strong and growing mercantilist Empire and its mastery of the seas was now unchallengeable. For that reason alone it had to be won over to the cause of South American independence and reminded of its own imperial interests in the continent.Ever since Hector de Crèvecaeur posed the question, `What then is this American, this new man?' in 1782, North Americans have endlessly ruminated on their uniqueness. Yet they have rarely considered what they have in common with the `Other America', the sister-continent to their south. Such has been the ingrained Protestant provincialism and pietism of Anglo-American thinking that Spain's Atlantic Empire has too often been consigned to the shadows of the Black Legend, according to which the greed and depravities of the Old World were visited on the New by Iberian conquistadors and viceroys.That same view is alive and flourishing since the national trauma of US post-9/11: the erosion of America's national identity by foreign immigration, and the undermining of its culture of Protestant individualism by Hispanic bilingualism; multiculturalism and the de-nationalization of elites and middle-class integration. `Fortress America' is today symbolized by the police-patrolled Iron Curtain erected on the US-Mexican border to exclude illegal Spanish-speaking, predominantly Catholic and poor, migrant immigrants wanting to survive after the slums and devastating slumps of their origins and share in the American Dream.

Having travelled there 10 times in 5 years (until last year!) and having devoured many many books on Cuba, I think this is the best one I have read. Mr. Gott had a front row seat for the current history and the book seems thoroughly researched.

Since visiting Cuba in 1997, I've always been fascinated by the place. Havana is a beautiful city, the weather is great and the people are warm and engaging. The trouble is; the economy simply doesn't work.Richard Gott has written of the island from its first visits by the Spanish until the present day where it rests within its own time warp. Gott has done an admirable job. However, as with so many books on the subject of Cuba, it's as though its real history doesn't begin until 1959. This is the time of Castro's rise to power and it is where "Cuba: A New History" really comes to life. It is clear that Gott is very familiar with Cuba. It is clear that he has travelled there extensively and interviewed a wide cast of people. He is mildly sympathetic to Cuba treading its own path. But, by the same token, he doesn't fall for left wing jingoism. It is a very good read.I have little doubt that many will challenge my view. To cover Cuba and not point out its many failings will be seen as a weakness. Yet, the story of Cuba is more nuanced. It has been dominated by three empires and is only now beginning a path of relative independence. This will bring change. Gott clearly understands this point. It is a point missed by his critics who all too often only focus on the many failings of Castro and little else.I recommend this book to all those general readers seeking an understanding of this island nation and its place in the world. Richard Gott deserves credit. He has added to our knowledge of a small country that has risen above its otherwise backwater place in history.

'Cuba: A New History' is an excellent account of Cuban history up until this books publication in 2004. Gott manages to write in a completely engaging way and draws you in to the rich and diverse history of this amazing Caribbean island. This is in no way a dry and uninspiring read, but one that helps you immerse yourself in the history and developments over the years. From Spanish colonial rule, US intervention and soviet support, Cuba has managed to retain some remnant of it's own identity and this book shows this side perfectly. The first 100 pages (looking at Spanish Colonial rule and the slave trades to Cuba) were the hardest to engage with for me, but as soon as the revolution occurred and the book focused on the Castro government and all that it entails, I became hooked to this masterly text. The author doesn't seem overly biased one way or the other, although you can tell he has respect for this tiny island nation. He doesn't seem to be too sensationalist either, for example when Che Guevara dies it is noted in quite an understated way and not overly hyped to have a greater impact. Two minor flaws with this book are the tiny font which by the end had given me serious eye strain, why academic texts insist on using this size font I'll never know. And the other flaw is a distinct lack of decent photography to add to the package. There are a few pages of grey photos in the middle, but not on good quality paper, or especially relevant to the overall text, i've come to expect better from history books these days. These are minor flaws in what is a brilliant account of Cuban history which leaves you with some indication of what the future may hold as well. If Cuba interests you in the slightest, I'd seriously recommend you take a look at this book.Feel free to check out my blog which can be found on my profile page.

This book is well researched. The dates and descriptions are accurate though I'm not a big reader so I'm finding it a tough read. It jumps between dates and names of people constantly. There is a lot to take in and you really have to concentrate. The content is good and supposedly one of the better books written on Cuba.It's a good read as I want to visit Cuba and this is really setting the scene. It's providing historic details I would never encounter in normal conversation. I'm sure many Cubans are oblivious to some of the information provided in this book. Would recommend it but don't expect to take it all in if you're going to try and speed read!!!Received in good time and good condition. Would purchase from this seller.

I didn't read the first 100 pages as I'm really only interested in the Castro history, but I found this book very well researched, informative and well written. It is a very comprehensive review of the politics and international relations (especially with USA), but it did not go into a great amount of detail on the actual events, such as Che's train ambush or the Bay of Pigs battles. One reveiwer complained about the font size, but this has not been a problem as I wear glasses for reading anyway.I also purchsed the Cuba Reader, but found this to be interesting to pick up and read bits of, but not really readable as a whole book, as the gaps between the various articles were too obvious. It gives varied viewpoints though, so could be useful as a research tool, but 'Cuba: A New History' is much better to get your teeth into.

A surprising if not astonishing read. It is one of those books which sheds light on various misconceptions you may have on the world. Well written and interesting from cover to cover! Despite being a relatively small island, Cuba has been central to many of the key 19th and 20th century world events.

This book was recommended as the best read on the history of Cuba by the company with whom we are travelling there. Trouble is that the print size is very small, it looks hefty in content and old (clearly been on a shelf a long time!), so I have not yet got into it.