Blue Cuban Nights

by Ted Ferguson

Cuba, a country that swings to a rumba beat yet embraces Communism; home to both the Buena Vista Social Club and a repressive totalitarian regime. Cuba is a country of contradictions. Ted Ferguson, in thrall to a love affair with the island since the eighties, breaks out of the tourist bubble and tunes into Cuba's pulsing heart to discover the passions of its people. Opening closed doors, Ferguson uncovers a cornucopia of colourful individuals and their idiosyncrasies. He meets Juan, a collector of pig paraphernalia and Tony, the jazz aficionado of bootleg Dizzy Gillespie tapes. He sees the mausoleums of the rich, equipped with air-conditioning and telephones, and the poor who hunt the city's street cats for a decent meal. Poetry, politics and passion; Cuba encompasses all that is sexy, vibrant and utterly alluring about the hotbed of the Caribbean.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 2002

Reviews

[John Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really well written book that pulls no punches on the problems in Cuba.It’s obviously sympathetic to Cuba but I don’t think he’s quiet as naive as Dervla Murphy in his sympathy.The real message that comes over is what a Great man Castro was ( obviously not to emigres or political prisoners)His achievements from 1959 are astounding and in particular in the “ Special Period” he held the country together.It’s a pity the world cannot see beyond the narrow ideology to the generous spirit of Cuba and her people.