Description:
Cuba: An American History - Ada Ferrer - 2021
(Winner of the Pulitzer Prize)
By: Ada Ferrer
Narrated by: Alma Cuervo, Ada Ferrer - prologue
Length: 23 hrs and 13 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 09-07-21
Categories: History, Caribbean & West Indies, Latin America
Language: English
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Format: mp3 64/48 mono
WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE IN HISTORY
WINNER OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE IN HISTORY
“Full of…lively insights and lucid prose” (The Wall Street Journal) an epic, sweeping history of Cuba and its complex ties to the United States—from before the arrival of Columbus to the present day—written by one of the world’s leading historians of Cuba.
In 1961, at the height of the Cold War, the United States severed diplomatic relations with Cuba, where a momentous revolution had taken power three years earlier. For more than half a century, the stand-off continued—through the tenure of ten American presidents and the fifty-year rule of Fidel Castro. His death in 2016, and the retirement of his brother and successor Raúl Castro in 2021, have spurred questions about the country’s future. Meanwhile, politics in Washington—Barack Obama’s opening to the island, Donald Trump’s reversal of that policy, and the election of Joe Biden—have made the relationship between the two nations a subject of debate once more.
Now, award-winning historian Ada Ferrer delivers an “important” (The Guardian) and moving chronicle that demands a new reckoning with both the island’s past and its relationship with the United States. Spanning more than five centuries, Cuba: An American History provides us with a front-row seat as we witness the evolution of the modern nation, with its dramatic record of conquest and colonization, of slavery and freedom, of independence and revolutions made and unmade.
Along the way, Ferrer explores the sometimes surprising, often troubled intimacy between the two countries, documenting not only the influence of the United States on Cuba but also the many ways the island has been a recurring presence in US affairs. This is a story that will give Americans unexpected insights into the history of their own nation and, in so doing, help them imagine a new relationship with Cuba; “readers will close [this] fascinating book with a sense of hope” (The Economist).
Filled with rousing stories and characters, and drawing on more than thirty years of research in Cuba, Spain, and the United States—as well as the author’s own extensive travel to the island over the same period—this is a stunning and monumental account like no other.
©2021 Ada Ferrer. All rights reserved. (P)2021 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.
Critic reviews
"[Alma Cuervo]'s a highly empathetic interpreter of Ferrer's narrative. The story is fascinating, enlightening, and often deeply moving as Cuervo recounts Cuba's sorry history of racial division, enslavement, and exploitation - most vividly, the crushing labor of its sugar plantations." (AudioFile Magazine)
Editorial Review
Take a deep dive into Cuban history. This Pulitzer Prize-winning audiobook will take you on a journey from the terrible to the beautiful to understand this great country.
Cuba: An American History is an insightful and eye-opening look at Cuban History and its relationship and entanglement with early America. The history of so much of Latin America is tied up in American politics and government, with Cuba being the most widely broadcast of them all. Portrayed as violent, unstable, and full of extremists and revolutionary activists, the United States was trained to distrust Cuba. But the real story is much more complicated, and the blame lies in many places.
In this deep dive into Cuban history, author Ada Ferrer uncovers all sides of the story to bring the truth of history to light. Engaging, intriguing, and insightful, it is a vastly informative book full of political drama and dark histories. This audiobook will not only expand your understanding of both Cuban and American history, but also shed light on how North American and Central American politics are so tightly intertwined.
This audiobook version is narrated by Alma Cuervo, who brings a sensitive but empowered voice to this telling of Cuban history. From describing the many years of slavery to depicting the crushing loss of sugar plantations and natural habitats, every aspect of Cuban history is brought to life. The result is an all-encompassing listen that will change your perspective on this beautiful country, and maybe even how you view America, too. —Audible Latino Editor
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