6 Books to Read Before Going to Cuba

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Y’all know I love a good book, and one of my favorite things to do before a trip is to learn more about the city/country, history, and the culture! Guess where you can find all that nifty stuff?

BOOKS!

Before my trip to Cuba, I searched high and low, far and wide for books about Cuba, from Cuba, and by Cuban authors. I was particularly looking for Cuban authors because who better to tell their story? Some of them were too long, some of them were too boring, but some of them were JUUUUUUUUUUUUUUST right! after months of reading through my stack, I compiled a list of books about Cuba that I felt were insightful, meaningful, and captured a beautiful -and raw in some cases- snapshot of Cuba through their story telling. If you’re not a fan of books, here’s a list of movies to watch before visiting Cuba.

So without further ado, I give you 6 books about Cuba that are MUST READS before (and after!) your visit!

Bacardi and the Long Flight for Cuba by  Tom Gjelten

You’ve heard of Bacardi, right? If not, then you’ve been living very deep under that rock of yours. Bacardi and the Long Flight for Cuba is the story of the Bacardi family and the history of their Bacardi Rum Company. A little backstory, the business began when Facundo Bacardi, an immigrant from Spain, opened the a small rum distillery in Santiago, Cuba. This nonfiction novel flawlessly (at least in my opinion) paints a picture of how the Bacardi company played an important role in the fight against Spanish colonial rule in Cuba. In fact, every part of Cuban history has some shot of Bacardi in it. The novel also tells the story of how the Bacardi brand built itself into the superpower of alcohol brands it is today. The book journeys from their humble beginnings to the company’s exile after the Cuban Revolution.

It was a fascinating story to me, and even with humorous antidotes. For example: Che Guevara ordered the secret recipe to be handed over, then proceeded to lose it. If you’re going to enjoy a Mojito in Cuba, it might be neat to know the story behind the world famous label.

Tom Gjelten isn’t Cuban, however he is one of NPR’s pioneer foreign correspondents, posted first in Latin America and then in Central Europe. In the years that followed, he covered the wars in Central America and the social and political strife in South America. Most recently, he reported extensively from Cuba. He also published a few other books about Cuba.

Waiting for Snow in Havana, Confessions of a Cuban Boy by Carlos Eire

The best word I can think of to describe this book is : rich. Waiting for Snow in Havana is a story about the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution and the exorcist of Cubans from their homeland. A lot of the book focuses on Carlos’ innocent -albeit privileged – childhood in Havana, and what Cuba’s pre-revolutionary fighting looked like through the eyes of a sheltered child. Then, Carlos was airlifted out of Cuba with thousands of other children to the foreign land of the United States. All of them without their parents. Although the setting of the book was Cuba, I felt like the theme more centered around the fragility of childhood. Years later, Carlos and his siblings were finally reunited when their mother was able to also flee Cuba, now refugees.

The book is nonfiction, although it reads as a coming-of-age novel, and is actually an autobiography of the Cuban author, Carlos Eire. His perspective as a refugee is crucial to understanding the full story of Cuban history, and understanding the hardships faced by refugee children around the world. Carlos Eire has not returned to Cuba. “Too painful,” Mr. Eire said, in an interview with the NY Times. “I know I wouldn’t be able to keep my mouth shut. I’d get in trouble. I know emotionally I’d blow up.”

Before Night Falls by Reinaldo Arenas

I’ll tell you right now, this is not the most lighthearted book in the bunch. Before Night Falls is a memoir and narrates the author’s journey as a poor child in rural Cuba, fighting for the Revolution as a teenager, imprisonment and torture, and eventually fleeing Cuba as an adult. The writing is powerful, raw, and painfully honest. Before Night Falls is a stark contrast to Waiting for Snow in Havana, and shows the Revolution from the opposite perspective. As Arenas wrote,” [my childhood] was absolute poverty, but also absolute freedom.” As he grew older under the new regime, his writings were either confiscated or destroyed. The chapters detailing his time in Cuban jail were also interesting and a completely fresh topic for me. Where else are you going to hear about Cuban jail??

Reinaldo Arenas is a Cuban novelist. The book is a memoir, so it is nonfiction and followed his life in Cuba. He led an openly gay life, a conflict with the communist regime. This is a great book on how rural Cuba was affected by the Revolution. Also, great insight on being gay in Cuba during that time.

Cuban Diaries, an American Housewife in Havana by Isadora Tattlin

Hmm, I would relate Cuban Diaries to…hm. Like a blogger’s experience of Cuba. So with that said, the book is very lighthearted and humorous. The book follows an American woman that moved to Havana with her family and European husband. The book reads like a diary, and sarcastically recounts her transition to Cuban life and every day nuances of expat life. It’s a fun book. Honestly, Cuba is a complex country with tense history, but it’s also a fun place. Even with the wars, oppression, and revolution, Cuba comes with its own sassy flavor of adventure and comedy. This is one of the few good books about Cuba from an outsider’s perspective.

Isadora Tattlin is just a pen name, but the story is based on the author’s experience of moving to Cuba after her husband’s new job assignment. She isn’t Cuban, but again, it’s just a fun book about Cuba that I enjoyed reading.

Three Trapped Tigers by G. Cabrera Infant

Hahaha omg, I don’t even know how to express how insanely great and original this book is. Be warned, it’s not a short read. The writing is modern, playful, very tongue in cheek, but also intricate and creatively written. The book is written in sharp fragments and scenes that jump between each other. In fact,C. Cabrera Infante is now one of my favorite authors, prose-wise anyway. This novel was translated from its original work, Tres Tristes Tigres. If you’re a fan of classic literature with a modern twist, you’d love this book.

C. Cabrera Infante, the author, was born in Cuba. Initially, he was a big supporter of the Revolution, like Reinaldo Arenas. His parents were actually founding members of Cuban Communist Party. But then, yanno, his journal was censored and shut down by the new government. You can take a lot of this away from an author, BUT NOT THEIR WRITING. Thus, he went into exile and became the earliest and loudest critics of Castro and the regime. The usual Cuban author’s life.

Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina García

Hands down one of my favorite books about Cuba that I have read. Dreaming in Cuban is a story about a Cuban family and how three different generations dealt with the Revolution. The main characters vary from a headstrong grandmother to the witch doctor’s daughter next door. The characters are brilliant. What I liked about this book were the different voices and experiences in prerevolution Cuba. I would describe the writing as romantic and magical, but not exactly a romance novel or scifi. It’s a colorful book, and it’s short so perfect for traveling! It fits great in any bag. The book was great for the beach!

The author, Cristina García, is a Cuban-born American. Cristina was born in Havana, but at the age of two her family was one of the first to flee when Fidel Castro took power. She has visited Cuba, however, unlike Carlos Eire. She emphasizes that”there is no one Cuban exile”. A lot of the themes in her writing focus on identity, gender, and sexuality. Could not recommend this novel more!

So that is my list! If you’re still looking for more (well aren’t you just a little reader!), here are some additional books that would be good to pick up. Havana Red by Leonardo Padura is a gripping crime novel about the murder of a transwoman in Cuba. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway is a classic. Hemingway had a huge impact on Cuba and the Cuban Revolution. Dirty Havana Trilogy by Pedro Juan Gutierrez is a raunchy read. They’re all good books about Cuba. The literary talent stimming from Cuba is impressive! Cuba is teeming with artists.

You can find these books on Amazon, your local bookstore, or even the library! Or do you prefer digital reading?

Don’t like reading at all? Check out my list of Cuban movies to watch!

If you’re an American wanderlusting for Cuba, but need help getting there, check out my post How to Get to Cuba as an American. 

To learn more about Cuban culture, I did an interview with a local Cuban debunking common myths and misconceptions about Cuba!

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