Real Life in Castro's Cuba [Hardcover]

An excellent, detailed account of daily life in the deteriorating communist country.Especially timely in light of the Elian Gonzales affair, a former U.S. spokesperson in Havana conveys her impression of the strong spirit of Cuban citizens given the contradictory realities of the Revolution.We readers are the beneficiaries of Moses's deep understanding of the Cuban people and the political, economic, and social transformation they are carrying out against the will of their government.Catherine Moses clearly put her two years as 'Our Woman in Havana' to good use, developing a solid understanding of Cuba's faded dreams of a socialist utopia and gathering wonderfully human anecdotes about daily life.A heartfelt account of the daunting trials that confront the Cuban people, written with passion and affection.An unusually insightful, and brutally candid book. Moses offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at a turning point in the history of Cuba. Her intellectual honesty, her engaging humor, and her deep love for Cuba and the Cubans ooze from every page. It is a bittersweet account that captures graphically the haunting surrealism of the Cuban existence.Beautifully written, evocative and lyrical at the same time that it is chock full of information and local texture.This new book provides a first-hand, grassroots look at life in Cuba, including very vivid descriptions of its people and places. Real Life in Castro's Cuba illuminates the human face of Cuba, which over the years has largely been hidden in the shadow of Fidel Castro.

Real Life in Castro's Cuba is written by Catherine Moses, who lived and worked in Cuba as a press secretary and spokesperson for the United States from 1995 to 1996. This compelling, compassionate portrait contains personal observations about the Cubans' struggles, triumphs, hopes, and daily compromises to survive. The Cuban population lives with a deteriorating infrastructure, forcing many hardships on the people, including a scarcity of l3,