Es Cuba: Life and Love on an Illegal Island

by Lea Aschkenas

Es Cuba is a poignant and passionate travel memoir about falling in love with a country and one of its compatriots. Aschkenas never strays from her acute awareness that there is no way to separate her foreignness (intensified by U.S.-Cuba relations) from the complex mix of emotions, devotion and rejection, enrapture and apprehension that she develops toward the country. Her tale is filled with beautifully woven descriptions of Cuba and the customs and habits of its people. Aschkenas is a discerning observer, taking in the innocence, isolation, contradictions, and resolute optimism of a people who have persevered against the collective disappointment bestowed upon them by a government that has been unable to deliver the utopia promised by socialism. Aschkenas, already a seasoned traveler by the time she arrives in Cuba for the first time in 1999, is overcome by her own passion for Cuba and her unraveling affection for Alfredo as she comes to appreciate his naïveté, sincerity, and ability to live for the moment, something she comes to realize is the effect of growing up in a culture where nothing is ever certain.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Memoir

360 pages, Paperback

First published December 20, 2005

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing in the book is barely mediocre. She harps on one or two issues over and over...and over. BUT, the book did give a very informative peek into life in Cuba which is very interesting. Here in America, we get precious little about it so this was refreshing and unexpected.

[Owen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent recounting of a lengthy stay in Cuba by a gifted American writer. Much of the story revolves around her love affair with her Cuban boyfriend, a fact which brings her much closer to the Cuban people and the reality of life under the American blockade. Won't say any more here, except to recommend it for its truthfulness mixed with obvious love for Cuba and its people.

[Strona po stronie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naprawdę niezwykła książka, zarazem o Kubie i jej mieszkańcach, a także o miłości pomiędzy dwójką ludzi z różnych kultur. Porywająca :).

A truly unique book, both about Cuba and its inhabitants and about love between two people from different cultures. Captivating :).

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

We know all about the politics... so how about the people? Lea Aschkenas tells us in her moving account of falling in love in Cuba.

A set of circumstances and a desire to learn Spanish put her where few Americans go. She starts off in the cocoon of a tourist hotel and moves (down) to a room the landlord sacrifices greatly to bring it to what we might award 1 or 2 stars, and in the end goes (way down) nearly native.

Along the way she meets Cubans and tells us how they cope. The revolution has brought them free health care (but not free medicine), education (but not jobs to go with it) and affordable symphony music. A schoolteacher tells how cleans her carpet with a t-shirt because brooms (she does not even consider a vacuum cleaner) cost US$.. so it takes her 3 hours.

Lea meets Alfredo, and he is unabashedly in love with her. She worries that the cultural divide is too great, but slips into love with him. Alfredo introduces Lea to the many alternate ways to provide life's small pleasures and she introduces them to us.

A very satisfying book about ordinary people, living their lives in Cuba.

[Bethany Stoelting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aschkenas drew great comparisons between Cuba and the U.S. as well as other Latin American countries. Her insights made me better understand the mysterious country's everyday life which was simply fascinating. In spite of this, I found myself occasionally frustrated by Aschkenas' writing style and over-use of detail. It was difficult for me to read her constant hesitation and angst in her relationship with Alfredo, too. Overall, though, it was a good read, and I would recommend it to other curious Cuba enthusiasts, but I would not endorse spending the money to buy it unless you are sure you will love it.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mark of a great travel memoir is that reading it makes you long to travel to the place the author is describing. This book certainly did that for me. Aschkenas not only does a great job of capturing the essence of Cuba, but also the difficulties of navigating a cross-cultural relationship. The challenges and joys she faces in her personal friendship and romance with a Cuban parallel her feelings for the country itself.

[Mireya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me gusto mucho esta historia autobiografica e historia de amor entre Lea y Alfredo. Aprendi mucho sobre Cuba. Tengo la suerte de conocer personalmente a la escritora ya que trabajo con ella en una Biblioteca Publica en California.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

great

[Sue Merrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book about life on Cuba. I was able to visit the island briefly this year, before cruise ships were banned again, and this book helped me to put into perspective what I saw. I know people there have a rough time because of all the embargoes but they manage to enjoy life anyway. Lea's story makes clear some of the ways they work around the rules, as well as the irritating problems they face. It's about people, not politics. And they just accept it. It's Cuba.

[Christelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a lovely surprise. Given to me a few years ago, I did not know what to expect. I was particularly interested in the daily life in Cuba and the details of Cuba-US politics. The way it is being told, i.e. with a real love story as a background, made it feel real and contributed to an easy summer reading experience (yet informative) instead of an academic one.

[Hollis Bennyhoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's one of the best books I have ever read. In my top ten books, I have ever read. Very well written. My only regret is that it has not been in an ebook format.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

What I liked about the book was the insight in to a country wrought by Socialist rule. It really made me feel lucky to live in America. The love story was sweet, and I admire Leah's bravery in living in a place that would give me absolute culture shock.

I actually had a chance to speak with Leah in my travel writing class in college. She was very open and is still with her Cuban husband, I THINK still living in the US. Overall, great insight into Cuba!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and found myself getting wrapped up in the love story despite my skepticism towards anything remotely love story-ish. There is enough other stuff going on in the book to keep it from getting cheesy. The story takes place in 2000 and things in Cuba have changed a bit since then so don't take everything at face value.

[Tekla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just loved this book. It was wonderfully charming and insightful read. The author is quite careful to avoid being judgmental either towards Cuba or the US and she just sticks to describing her experiences of visiting Cuba, meeting her future husband there and all the complications of visiting Cuba, learning about a different culture, having an interracial intercultural relationship etc.

[Jeannette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting account of a journalist's trip to Cuba and her love affair with both the country and a Cuban man. Appreciated her honesty throughout the book. Her naivete was touching at times, slightly irritating at others :).

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a beautifully written, heartfelt story. I was completely absorbed in the book. The book weaves a deeply personal and touching story together with the current state of life on Cuba and with an interesting look at the history of the island. I very highly recommend this book.

[Marsha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This interesting account of an American woman's eight months in Cuba (2000) did not make me want to go there! It's a fascinating place, but the inequalities and hardships don't make it sound appealing.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book about Cuba from the eyes of an American who lived there to learn about Fidel and the Revolution

[Shannon Fulton · Rating 3 out of 5]

good lazy (but interesting) read. her love story goes on and on which gets kind of boring - the real interesting part of the book is the merge of 2 cultures, and her struggle to understand Cuba.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved traveling and discovering Cuba with Lea. The story sooo felt like it could have been me. Hope to see Cuba through my own eyes one day!

[NHU · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is a well written book describing the now rather familiar journey of a nice Jewish girl whose ambivalence and doubts about marrying a Cuban are resolved. Who knows what the ending will be?

[Peg · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a while it seemed like a book about "how I met my husband.". However, it allowed
me to relate to present day Cuba and my subsequent trip better than any other book.

[Maria Dudley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was interesting in the sense that I really learned about Cuba, but it needs a lot of editing. Way too long and hard to get through.

[Alison]

just ordered