What do you think?
Rate this book
The Americano: Fighting With Castro For Cuba's Freedom
"Why do I fight here in this land so foreign to my own? Why did I come here far from my home and family?…Is it because I seek adventure? No…I am here because I believe that the most important thing for free men to do is to protect the freedom of others."
―William Morgan, in a letter to Herbert Matthews at the New York Times
When William Morgan was twenty-two years old, he was working as a high school janitor in Toledo Ohio. Seven years later, in 1958, he walked into a Rebel camp in the Cuban Jungle to join the revolutionaries in their fight to overthrow the corrupt Cuban president, Fulgencio Batista. They were wary of the broad-shouldered, blond-haired, blue-eyed americano but Morgan's dedication and passion, his military skill and charisma, led him to become a chief comandante in Castro's army―he was the only foreigner to hold such a rank, with the exception of Che Guevera.
Vicious battles in the jungles were followed by victorious revelry in the cities. Morgan married a Cuban beauty. He single-handedly thwarted the Dominican Republic's attempt to overthrow Castro. And he was chosen to work with Castro and other high ranking Rebels to improve the quality of life for all people. This man who had lived under the radar in America was now a Cuban hero on the watch lists of several governments, all of whom wondered whose side he was really on.
It all ended in 1961, when, at age thirty-two, Morgan was executed by firing squad, at the hands of Fidel Castro.
Journalist Aran Shetterly takes us back to an era when democracy could have flourished in Cuba. He interviewed Morgan's friends and family and former Cuban Rebels, and examined FBI and CIA documents in search of the truth. What emerged was the true story of a young man who had never fit in but finally found his place in the world by fighting another country's war.
―William Morgan, in a letter to Herbert Matthews at the New York Times
When William Morgan was twenty-two years old, he was working as a high school janitor in Toledo Ohio. Seven years later, in 1958, he walked into a Rebel camp in the Cuban Jungle to join the revolutionaries in their fight to overthrow the corrupt Cuban president, Fulgencio Batista. They were wary of the broad-shouldered, blond-haired, blue-eyed americano but Morgan's dedication and passion, his military skill and charisma, led him to become a chief comandante in Castro's army―he was the only foreigner to hold such a rank, with the exception of Che Guevera.
Vicious battles in the jungles were followed by victorious revelry in the cities. Morgan married a Cuban beauty. He single-handedly thwarted the Dominican Republic's attempt to overthrow Castro. And he was chosen to work with Castro and other high ranking Rebels to improve the quality of life for all people. This man who had lived under the radar in America was now a Cuban hero on the watch lists of several governments, all of whom wondered whose side he was really on.
It all ended in 1961, when, at age thirty-two, Morgan was executed by firing squad, at the hands of Fidel Castro.
Journalist Aran Shetterly takes us back to an era when democracy could have flourished in Cuba. He interviewed Morgan's friends and family and former Cuban Rebels, and examined FBI and CIA documents in search of the truth. What emerged was the true story of a young man who had never fit in but finally found his place in the world by fighting another country's war.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published July 12, 2007
21 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
About the author
Aran Shetterly
4 books11 followersJournalist and narrative historian Aran Shetterly has spent decades writing about people who dream of changing the world and have the conviction and courage to try. His latest book MORNINGSIDE: The 1979 Greensboro Massacre and the Struggle for an American City’s Soul (HarperCollins, 2024) has been called “brilliant” (Publisher’s Weekly), “essential” (Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow), and “revealing” (Dr. Reverend William Barber II). His previous book, THE AMERICANO, a new account of the Cuban Revolution, was praised as “history at its best” (National Book Award winner Carlos Eire).
He founded the English-language magazine Inside Mexico, which became the most widely distributed English-language periodical in Mexico, publishing long-form pieces on NAFTA, the Mexican-American border, African-Mexicans, Mexico City’s art scene, and many other topics.
Aran has worked as an independent editor and writing coach at Aspen Words, and since 2003, he’s collaborated with the Maine-based arts and education organization Americans Who Tell the Truth. He grew up in rural Maine, studied English Literature and Spanish Language and Culture at Harvard College, and earned an MA in American and New England Studies from the University of Southern Maine. He lives in Charlottesville with his son and wife, the author Margot Lee Shetterly.
He founded the English-language magazine Inside Mexico, which became the most widely distributed English-language periodical in Mexico, publishing long-form pieces on NAFTA, the Mexican-American border, African-Mexicans, Mexico City’s art scene, and many other topics.
Aran has worked as an independent editor and writing coach at Aspen Words, and since 2003, he’s collaborated with the Maine-based arts and education organization Americans Who Tell the Truth. He grew up in rural Maine, studied English Literature and Spanish Language and Culture at Harvard College, and earned an MA in American and New England Studies from the University of Southern Maine. He lives in Charlottesville with his son and wife, the author Margot Lee Shetterly.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 26, 2012
I'd never heard of Wm. Morgan until I saw an article about him in New Yorker this spring. His life and death are the stuff of adventure tales: a young American flees an empty, failed life in the Midwest to seek adventure and high ideals in the mountains of 1950s Cuba, becomes a successful leader of guerrilla soldiers and combat commander, joins a new government, and dies young, executed by the leader of the revolution whose success he'd fought for. Half a century later, Morgan remains a shadowy figure in Cuban accounts of the revolution, dismissed off-handedly as an "obvious" agent of the CIA, yet still a figure whose military successes could not be completely denied. Aran Shetterly gives a fine account of Wm. Morgan's life and how he became a hero and victim of Castro's revolution. Shetterly presents Morgan as more than a mere adventurer, a descendant of the filibusteros who fought and died for gold and glory in Central and South America in the early 1800s. Morgan believed that he was part of something noble--- overthrowing the Batista dictatorship ---and believed that fighting in the mountains of Cuba was a way to give himself a new life, after so dismally failing at everything he'd tried in the States. "The Americano" is somewhere between Hemingway and Joan Didion, and it's a well-done account of both the Cuban revolution and of how Cuba remembers the figures of the Revolution who lost out to the Castro brothers in the scramble for position and dominance after victory.
March 15, 2018
Excellent book recommended by a Cuban friend. William Morgan felt passionate about Cuba obtaining it's freedom from the horrible rule of Batista and Spain. He joined up with some rebels in the Escambray mountains and fought the good fight to help free Cuba. Only after he became slightly disenchanted with the government forming. However he kept his loyalty to the government up until he no longer could. This was an amazing book, with lots of new information that I was unaware of previously. I now also understand so much more why my Cuban friends are so proud of their home, and they have EVERY right to be proud.
November 18, 2024
"The Americano: Fighting with Castro for Cuba's Freedom" by Aran Shetterly is a compelling biography that tells the remarkable story of William Morgan, an American who became a key figure in the Cuban Revolution. Morgan's life is a tale of transformation, from a high school janitor in Ohio to a comandante in Fidel Castro's rebel army—a rank otherwise held only by Cubans and Che Guevara.
Morgan's charisma, military prowess, and passion for justice earned him respect among the revolutionaries. He played a pivotal role in pivotal battles and even thwarted an external coup attempt against the revolution. However, his loyalties and actions raised questions, making him a figure of intrigue for global intelligence agencies.
Aran Shetterly delves deeply into Morgan's life through interviews with those who knew him and an examination of declassified FBI and CIA documents. The book also explores the broader political landscape of 1950s and 1960s Cuba, a time when the nation's revolutionary promise teetered on the edge of betrayal.
Morgan’s tragic end, executed by Fidel Castro at just 32, underscores the complexities of revolution and idealism. This book is a fascinating read for history enthusiasts, offering insights into a unique, enigmatic man who lived—and died—fighting for a cause he believed in.
Morgan's charisma, military prowess, and passion for justice earned him respect among the revolutionaries. He played a pivotal role in pivotal battles and even thwarted an external coup attempt against the revolution. However, his loyalties and actions raised questions, making him a figure of intrigue for global intelligence agencies.
Aran Shetterly delves deeply into Morgan's life through interviews with those who knew him and an examination of declassified FBI and CIA documents. The book also explores the broader political landscape of 1950s and 1960s Cuba, a time when the nation's revolutionary promise teetered on the edge of betrayal.
Morgan’s tragic end, executed by Fidel Castro at just 32, underscores the complexities of revolution and idealism. This book is a fascinating read for history enthusiasts, offering insights into a unique, enigmatic man who lived—and died—fighting for a cause he believed in.
November 15, 2020
This was an excellent book. Well written, factually sound. I learned a lot from this book.
April 13, 2021
History, and the people who live it, come to full, fascinating life, through little-known stories such as this one.
November 19, 2007
I am one of the few, one of the proud (no, not a Marine) Americans who has been able to travel to Cuba legitimately. As most of you know, I traveled to Cuba in the summer of 2000 for a study abroad program. The program was about Urban Design and Planning in Cuba and was guided by a professor of mine from undergrad who was married to a Cuban woman who came over during the Freedom Flights and had never been back. However, he had been taking students on guided tours through Havana, Trinidad, Cienfuegos, Santa Clara, Veradero and cities in between for over 27 years. [He's also written a book about Havana and the changes that the Cuban capital has seen - very interesting.] This is all to give a little back story about why I'm so interested in Cuban history (because I've been there, duh).
This book appealed to me for a few reasons: 1) The Morning News wrote about this book in one of their book digests back in August and 2) The idea of an American fighting for democracy in a land so close to his own yet so far was truly fascinating. Plus, who has heard of William Morgan? [Answer: No One] And why hasn't anyone heard of him?
William Morgan, an American of upper-middle class upbringing and a troubled youth was in and out of trouble throughout his life. He was discharged from the Army and struggling to make a life for his family that was honest. Through a series of encounters with members of the mob, he began to help smuggle arms to Cuba. Those arms were on their way to the hands of the men he would eventually fight alongside of in the mountains of the Escambray. Morgan came to Cuba to fight Batista and made his way up the ranks in the rebel army. He became #2 of the Second National Front of the Escambray, which were a large group of rebels who found the Cuban Army in the middle of the island [while Fidel, Che & Co. were in the Sierra Maestra]. I could write a dissertation on this book, on the revolution, on Morgan's place in that world, but I'm not prepared. I'm just prepared to tell you that if you're at all interested in Cuba and its history and the rise of Fidel Castro, this is an amazingly fascinating book.
This book appealed to me for a few reasons: 1) The Morning News wrote about this book in one of their book digests back in August and 2) The idea of an American fighting for democracy in a land so close to his own yet so far was truly fascinating. Plus, who has heard of William Morgan? [Answer: No One] And why hasn't anyone heard of him?
William Morgan, an American of upper-middle class upbringing and a troubled youth was in and out of trouble throughout his life. He was discharged from the Army and struggling to make a life for his family that was honest. Through a series of encounters with members of the mob, he began to help smuggle arms to Cuba. Those arms were on their way to the hands of the men he would eventually fight alongside of in the mountains of the Escambray. Morgan came to Cuba to fight Batista and made his way up the ranks in the rebel army. He became #2 of the Second National Front of the Escambray, which were a large group of rebels who found the Cuban Army in the middle of the island [while Fidel, Che & Co. were in the Sierra Maestra]. I could write a dissertation on this book, on the revolution, on Morgan's place in that world, but I'm not prepared. I'm just prepared to tell you that if you're at all interested in Cuba and its history and the rise of Fidel Castro, this is an amazingly fascinating book.
February 20, 2008
a good look at the revolution from the point of view of those who fought to overthrow Batista, but weren't a part of Castro's rebel fighters (at least not in the beginning). the book lays out how Castro, as opposed to another rebel leader, became el jefe back in '59, and the ways in which Cubans and other nations either fell in line or didn't immediately thereafter. a great read, if you're interested.
April 20, 2021
A quick read about a subject that I knew absolutely nothing about. I have read quite a bit about Fidel and Che and the 26 Julio movement but I had no idea that there were also other groups of rebels on the island fighting the Batista regime. (my ignorance is probably good news to the Castro regime) Its the Cuban revolution from a different (and non-hostile Gringo) point of view. A very solid read.
January 30, 2015
An incredibly humanizing, impeccably researched telling of the Cuban Revolution, good, bad, and ugly. I saw myself in Morgan every step of the way, from the restless punk to the discomfort of realizing what he'd gotten himself into to the knowledge that he'd come too far to really ever turn back. Very detailed, but still not too difficult a read. Highly recommended for history buffs or anyone who sports a Che beard ;)
January 27, 2009
I didn't expect to enjoy this bio as much as I did. Here's the story of William Morgan, an American misfit who somehow ends up fighting with Castro for Cuba's freedom. One could argue that Morgan stuck more to his beliefs more than Castro did. The ending is beautiful, and Shetterly deserves a lot of credit for the amount of research he put into this.
January 21, 2014
The story of William Morgan reads like a boys own adventure. His rise is interesting, his demise even more so.
His story alone is pretty amazing, but in the context of the Cuban Revolution it gives it another dimension.
It is very well written, and doesn't go out of its way to idolise its main character, but manages to give us a balanced insight to this unique character.
His story alone is pretty amazing, but in the context of the Cuban Revolution it gives it another dimension.
It is very well written, and doesn't go out of its way to idolise its main character, but manages to give us a balanced insight to this unique character.
August 24, 2012
Fantastic account of an often ignored piece of the Cuban Revolution. I could not put this book down. The author does a wonderful job of conveying the various and nuanced perspectives of the individuals involved. Morgan himself is a very unique person and his life story deserved to be shared.
June 1, 2016
I chose this book to familiarize myself with some Cuban history before traveling there. This is a well-written book and hat moves along quickly. A really interesting biography, plus some history, too!
November 4, 2012
Spectacular. A dramatic page turner about a ne'er-do-well punk from Ohio who found a cause worth dying for in freeing Cuba from both Batista and Castro.
September 21, 2013
Insights in the Cuban Revolution with a unique perspective.
December 18, 2016
A story that needed telling!
December 27, 2016
What a fascinating story! Great reading for anyone interested in American history or just a good tale. The American relationship with Cuba is much more complex than most of us understand.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews