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Cuba Open from the Inside: Travels in the Forbidden Land
Cuba occupies a place of undisputed fascination in the American psyche. Despite its proximity to America, this island nation remains a mystery to most Americans. Few Americans have traveled to Havana, and still fewer have traveled deeper into this isolated country.
Chris Messner, a photographer, is one of the few Americans who have been able to travel extensively throughout this island. In his book, Cuba Open from the Inside , Messner documents the character of Cuba's people, its rich history, and the vast culture of the country.
As Cuba's leaders age and the possibility of travel to Cuba increases, this book acts as an exceptional resource for would be travelers. Through multiple journeys, Messner has covered more than 4,000 miles on the back roads of Cuba. Through his words and pictures, he provides a snapshot of this island nation and documents the Cuba of today, --- the 1950s time capsule country located 90 miles from the US coast.
Chris Messner, a photographer, is one of the few Americans who have been able to travel extensively throughout this island. In his book, Cuba Open from the Inside , Messner documents the character of Cuba's people, its rich history, and the vast culture of the country.
As Cuba's leaders age and the possibility of travel to Cuba increases, this book acts as an exceptional resource for would be travelers. Through multiple journeys, Messner has covered more than 4,000 miles on the back roads of Cuba. Through his words and pictures, he provides a snapshot of this island nation and documents the Cuba of today, --- the 1950s time capsule country located 90 miles from the US coast.
253 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
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About the author
Chris Messner
6 books20 followersFrom early in his life, fine art photographer Chris Messner has had a strong visual relationship with the world around him.
His artistic curiosity led him to Cuba, an unlikely destination, where he has traveled extensively. He was struck by the raw reality of Cuba, and its unique beauty was an unexpected surprise. Looking through his lens with a human eye rather than a political one, Messner found Cuba to be different from what he originally expected. Messner encountered centuries of Cuban history, its artistic culture, unpretentious people, and the daunting grandeur of the human environment on full display. These multi-faceted elements presented him with a visual experience that he found artistically stimulating and inspired him to capture the grace and mystery of the Cuban nation with his first narrative nonfiction book, "Cuba Open from the Inside."
Messner currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and children.
His artistic curiosity led him to Cuba, an unlikely destination, where he has traveled extensively. He was struck by the raw reality of Cuba, and its unique beauty was an unexpected surprise. Looking through his lens with a human eye rather than a political one, Messner found Cuba to be different from what he originally expected. Messner encountered centuries of Cuban history, its artistic culture, unpretentious people, and the daunting grandeur of the human environment on full display. These multi-faceted elements presented him with a visual experience that he found artistically stimulating and inspired him to capture the grace and mystery of the Cuban nation with his first narrative nonfiction book, "Cuba Open from the Inside."
Messner currently resides in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and children.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 6 reviews
November 22, 2015
Since the first discovery of Cuba in 1492 by Christopher Columbus, this island nation has gone through many changes through the centuries. During the Age of Sail, Cuba was a major shipping hub for commerce. Yet, in present day, Cuba is held back and preserved in a perpetual time capsule like state.
On a hunch, the author ventured to Cuba, an unlikely destination. Led by his artistic curiosity, he traveled extensively around the whole island not sure of what would lie ahead. He found Cuba to be different from what he originally expected, encountering centuries of Cuban history, artistic culture, unpretentious people, and the daunting grandeur of the human environment on full display. The impoverished lives of the people are contrasted with Cuba’s abundance of diverse and historic architecture, rich natural beauty, and unspoiled flora and fauna, much of it solely endemic. Although surrounded by political isolation, the Cuban people have persevered, celebrating life with music and dance in a style all their own.
Once Cuba opens, for better or worse, the character and culture of the country will be altered. Seeing Cuba as it exists today, the author was compelled to document and write about his observations, to share the stories of the raw human experience on this last frontier. Pushing aside the political curtain that separates us from Cuba, these honest encounters give us a peek into the movement of life within this island nation. His commentaries and book, Cuba Open from the Inside, provide a unique perspective of this time capsule nation on the cusp of change and documents the Cuba of today before many things about it become folkloric.
On a hunch, the author ventured to Cuba, an unlikely destination. Led by his artistic curiosity, he traveled extensively around the whole island not sure of what would lie ahead. He found Cuba to be different from what he originally expected, encountering centuries of Cuban history, artistic culture, unpretentious people, and the daunting grandeur of the human environment on full display. The impoverished lives of the people are contrasted with Cuba’s abundance of diverse and historic architecture, rich natural beauty, and unspoiled flora and fauna, much of it solely endemic. Although surrounded by political isolation, the Cuban people have persevered, celebrating life with music and dance in a style all their own.
Once Cuba opens, for better or worse, the character and culture of the country will be altered. Seeing Cuba as it exists today, the author was compelled to document and write about his observations, to share the stories of the raw human experience on this last frontier. Pushing aside the political curtain that separates us from Cuba, these honest encounters give us a peek into the movement of life within this island nation. His commentaries and book, Cuba Open from the Inside, provide a unique perspective of this time capsule nation on the cusp of change and documents the Cuba of today before many things about it become folkloric.
October 10, 2025
This book was an excellent intro to my trip to cuba!
October 28, 2015
I never read a bad travel book, just love them.
This one is just as good as others.
The introduction is little weird though.
This one is just as good as others.
The introduction is little weird though.
November 17, 2015
Gives a good picture of what travelling through Cuba is like for an American. The mix of mellow and mayhem, the kindness of strangers, the fear of the government.
December 25, 2016
One of the worst travel books I've ever read...
Displaying 1 - 5 of 6 reviews