Cuba on the Verge: 12 Writers on Continuity and Change in Havana and Across the Country

by Leila Guerriero (Editor)

Spanning politics and art, music and baseball, Cuba on the Verge is a timely look at a society’s profound transformation—from inside and out

Change looms in Cuba.

Just ninety miles from United States shores yet inaccessible to most Americans until recently, Cuba fascinates as much as it confounds. Images of the Buena Vista Social Club, wild nights at the Tropicana, classic cars, and bearded rebels clinching cigars only scrape the surface of Cuba’s complex history and legacy. As the US and Cuba move toward the normalization of diplomatic relations after an epic fifty-six-year standoff, we find ourselves face-to-face with one of the few places in the world that has been off limits to most Americans. We know that Cuba is changing, but from what and into what? And what does this change mean for the Cuban people as well as for the rest of the world?

Standing on both sides of the divide, twelve of our most celebrated writers investigate this period of momentous transition in Cuba on the Verge. These essays span the spectrum, from Carlos Manuel Álvarez’s story of being among the last generation of Cubans to be raised under Fidel Castro to Patricia Engel’s look at how Cuba’s capital has changed through her years of riding across it with her taxi driver friend; from The New Yorker’s Jon Lee Anderson (who traveled with President Obama on the first trip to Cuba by an American president since the twenties) on being a foreigner in Cuba during the Special Period to Francisco Goldman on the Tropicana, then and now, to Leonardo Padura on the religion that is Cuban baseball. 

Cuba on the Verge is the definitive account of—and a unique glimpse at—a moment of upheaval and reinvention whose effects promise to reverberate across years and nations.

Genres: Nonfiction, Essays, Travel, History, Spanish Literature, Anthologies, Audiobook

304 pages, Hardcover

First published December 5, 2017

About the author

Leila Guerriero is an Argentinian journalist. She began her career in 1991, as an editor with the magazine Página/30, part of the Argentine newspaper Página/12. Since then her texts have appeared in various publications across Latin America and Europe: La Nación and Rolling Stone, in Argentina; El País, Altaïr and Jot Down, in Spain; Piauí, in Brazil; Leopard, in Mexico; L’Internazionale, in Italy, among others. She is the author of many books, including Los suicidas del fin del mundo (Tusquets, 2004); Frutos extraños (2009, Aguilar, Alfaguara); Una historia sencilla (2013, Anagram); and La Otra Guerra (2021, Anagram). She has received the CEMEX + FNPI New Journalism Award, González-Ruano Prize, Blue Metropolis Grand Prix and Manuel Vázquez Montalbán International Journalism Award. She is the Latin American editor for Gatopardo magazine, and works as a teacher at the Gabo Foundation, founded by Gabriel García Márquez. Her work has been translated into English, French, German, Swedish, Portuguese, Italian and Polish.

Reviews

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me be honest.  I didn't really know anything about Cuba before reading this.  I'm pretty US-centric most of the time, though I want to believe it's truly unintentional.  So when I saw this ARC, I jumped on it.  Finally, something to read about Cuba by actual Cubans and not just random white journalists on the internet!  

Now, let me be frank.  It was great.  I learned so much about the culture, the rise and fall of the government, about Havana, about taxi-drivers and coconut collectors and bookstores and dancers.  This anthology is a collection of lives and jobs and politics and it's incredible.  It's a smattering of topics that truly somehow encompass Cuba on both a larger and personal level.  And it's so vibrant.  Nothing is spared in these accounts, and I felt like I could actually feel the sun beating down on my skin, or my eyes trying to adjust to a dim room where Havana-based dancers were performing.  

If you want to break free from US-centric non-fiction books, this is definitely the collection for you. 

Review cross-listed here!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book of raw essays by people living on the island as well as outside of it. As a native Cuban, I can attest that a lot of these essays touched my very core. A lot of the writing portrays the poverty on the island as well as the many essential and yet simple things that have been denied to Cuba's oppressed population. Cubans do whatever it takes just to survive, and they've been doing this for almost 60 years.

Time has stood still in Cuba as portrayed by the functioning vintage cars that still exist on the island and which attract tourists' attention, but the reality is that the island has regressed to the point where decaying structures and mounds of rubble, rampant prostitution and overwhelming squalor are the order of the day. Yet the Cuban spirit prevails. Wendy Guerra, a native Cuban writer whose a contributor essayist in this book said it best, "Cuba is a pressure cooker, whose only valves are artists."

I found this book to be an engaging read; full of the reality of how people make do with what they have in order to survive. If you want to find out how the Cubans live in today's Cuba, then this is the book to read. It definitely will dispel the myth and fantasy that surrounds this island and its imprisoned population.

[Tom Oman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ignore the click bait title, Cuba isn’t on the verge of anything. Although when Obama visits, or the Rolling Stones put on a concert, it can feel like something might be around the corner. The Cubans understand and know their situation and for the most part they are resigned to it. It isn’t ignorance or propaganda that keeps them subjugated, it seems more like a general apathy and powerlessness. They know the US is not the cause of their problems. They understand how the regime has taken its advantages. The sad part is that the Cubans are really honestly great people. And whether the revolution can be given some of the credit or not, it’s a shame that such people have been dealt such a lousy hand with no end in sight.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing collection of essays and observations about the Cuban experience - or several experiences. The publication date of 2017 reflects a time in Cuba just prior to the presidency after Barack Obama; when markets were open, CUC (Cuban Convertible Pesos) were flowing freely and there was a certain hope that things would improve. That, however, was a hope of an ephemeral nature. All of these works (six from the "inside" and six from the "outside") demonstrate a stubborn resilience of Cubans across demographic and ethnic lines. They hustle; they survive; they remember. My favourites are one by Carlos Manuel Alvarez, relatively young, about his father and baseball; and Francisco Goldman's experience of the Tropicana.

[Maryam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting book for those who like me don’t know much about Cuba outside of what heard from media.

This book includes twelve pieces about Cuba/Havana from two different authors. Some of them are Cubans who never left Cuba, some have left and the others are visitors. This strange combination gives the reader a big window to look into this nation of beauty and suffer. About the revolution and living through it and now the new lifestyle!

Totally recommended!!

[Ericka Clou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very very sad. I feel like it lacked context on Santeria for people who are not familiar with Cuban culture and made it sound like everyone participates in the religion. Cuba, before the revolution, had a lot of Catholics, Santeria practitioners, Atheist, Protestants, Jewish people, etc. While Santeria is a particularly Cuban blend of African and Christian religion, it is not universal among Cuban people, though most have a fair bit of knowledge about it. I also found the two baseball essays especially boring though I understand it's the Cuban sport.

[As You Wish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative and very glad I made the time to read it.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I spent a week in Cuba on an art and architectural tour in May 2017, several months before this book was published. I wish I could have read it before I left. My favorite piece was Rubén Gallo's bookstore saga. (If it's located near the Hotel Nacional, I might have visited? This place also had stray dogs hanging around.) Also fascinating was Abraham Jiménez Enoa's look into the world of male sex work and Wendy Guerra's exploration of socialist gender politics.

The overall impression is that Cuba since the Revolution has always been in a state of transition in one way or another. Ivan de la Nuez refers to "the connection between the immortal socialism of the future and the remnants from a time in capitalism when things were built to last (from vintage cars to fridges, from houses to tunnels)." Vladimir Cruz's recollections of his acting career inadvertently echo this: "my acting professor, who'd studied in Moscow, placed so much emphasis on the process being more important than the result that I think we graduated without knowing how to accomplish anything." I wonder what the coming of the Great Cheeto has done to upset this delicate balance. Nothing good, I imagine.



I loved Trinidad and regret not getting better pictures.

[Shana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe that in order to get the most out of this book, one must have a solid working knowledge of Cuban culture and history. I was expecting something more at a beginner level and was surprised to find some very in-depth and literary analysis as opposed to more simple stories explicitly detailing the changes observed by the various contributors. Luckily, I happened to have enough background knowledge to make this an interesting and worthwhile read (thanks Latin American Studies minor!) but I would tell any person looking for a more general and accessible book to look elsewhere.

Contributors to this book are both Cuban and not; both living there and visiting; and all uniquely positioned to reflect on the enduring Cuban spirit as well as the juxtoposition between the Cuba of before and modern-day Cuba. They utilize a variety fo avenues, such as baseball and the arts, to explore the threshold. Rather than focusing solely on the past or what's anticipated for the future, they write from the in-between, and thus provide a fleeting perspective on what it's like to be on the verge without knowing what is coming up next.

[Sara G · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's probably just me not clicking with the material but, I swear I was very interested in the book when I started reading and I could still just barely manage to slog through one essay per day (with free days in between). I don't know why because I genuinely don't think any of the authors are bad writers or that any of the essays are bad as is, but the entire reading experience left me without impression other than boredom.

[Joaquin Calles Guzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un volumen preciso, de semblanzas pulsantes de Cuba, su pasado y presente. La selección de ensayos y crónicas no sólo es acertadisima, sino que presenta una variedad de voces de distintos “backgrounds” para formar una obra casi total de la encrucijada que se abrió en el año 2016. Cuba es alegria y dolor, Fortaleza y languidecimiento, Esperanza y aceptación...este libro lo capta de manera precisa.

[Nadia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Toda persona que viaje a Cuba debería leer este libro, definitivamente.
Estas crónicas le suman magia a un país al cual le sobra y ayudan muchísimo a entender la realidad de un lugar que no se parece a ningún otro.
Por supuesto hay algunas crónicas que me gustaron más que otras, e incluso dos puntuales que no disfruté, pero en términos generales, me pareció una muy buena selección de historias.

[Phyllis Fredericksen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A series of essays depicting Cuba from 20th century to the present. Some were good. Some not so much. A few went very long and didn’t seem to say anything. I read because I’m interested in Cuba and her history, but I feel this book misses the mark.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leila Guerriero, an Argentine journalist, pulled together twelve perspectives on Cuba from natives and visitors, including a few of someone reknown, Patricia Engel and Francisco Goldman among the visitors, and Wendy Guerra and Leonardo Padura among the Cubans. The volume is, for the most part, refreshingly free from political argument except by implication, and concentrates on the people: the driver of an antique car, the proprietor of an underground bookstore, a few emigres for whom the United States turned out not to be made of gold, and, inevitably, a jinetero, a prostitute (this one male) who specializes in tourists.
The overall mood is of disillusion and some decay. Engel's friend the taxi driver works 15 hours a day and stays on the island for his mother, not for the country or the ideals of its leaders. Goldman revisits the Tropicana well past its glory days. But always there is that Cuban inventiveness that keeps the ancient cars running, the bookstore running, the Tropicana open. And that happens despite the brutal ineptitude of the leadership that led to shortages but subjected its people to hours-long harangues, a narcissism that Guerra sums up acidly: "In the presence of the Cuban heroes and leaders the female figure is not in the background. It's simply not there."
And yet despite the tight control that the leadership exerts and the independence it claims, the United States looms over everything, not just as a means of escape but an influence, and, of course, a source of tourist dollars. Juan de la Nuez speculates on what it means for the future that a Pope and an American President have visited, not to mention one of the aimless Hollywood franchises, the Fast and the Furious.
THe current President has included Cuba in his travel ban. Russia was not added. I am always mystified by what this country has to fear from people who travel by boat or through Mexico be free of a regime that tortures its dissidents (and yes, I know Cubans who experienced that, came here, and applied for asylum on that basis). But we have no fear for a country with a demonstrated history of espionate and implanting spies.

[Carolina · Rating 4 out of 5]

No sé mucho de Cuba pero siempre he querido visitar este país. Me gustaron muchos los textos, especialmente -La Cuba secreta- de Mauricio Vicent, y -Glamour y revolución- de Wendy Guerra.

Dejaré parte del prólogo de Leila Guerriero para que la persona que esté chismoseando los reviews se anime a leer el libro entero.

____________________________
PRÓLOGO
DOCE INTENTOS
Leila Guerriero

De todas las preguntas que debe hacerse el periodismo (qué, quién, dónde, cuándo, por qué y cómo), solo hay una que, si hablamos de Cuba, puede responderse fácilmente: dónde; todo el mundo sabe -má o menos- dónde queda Cuba. Para las demás (qué es Cuba, quiénes son los cubanos, cómo es cuba, cuándo comenzó Cuba a ser lo que es, por qué Cuba es como es, y diversas variaciones y combinaciones de lo mismo), no solo no hay respuestas fáciles sino que además cada quien parece tener las suyas.

Para unos, Fidel Castro es un héroe sabio y admirable y, para otros, un tirano que estuvo al frente de una dictadura durante una década. Para unos, Cuba es la utopía hecha palmera, sol, mar, educación y sanidad para todos y, para otros, un pueblo que vive en la escasez, repleto de biólogos y arquitectos inteligentísimos que trabajan como choferes de taxi. Para unos, Cuba es un modelo de equidad y justicia y, para otros, una forma solapada de replicar las peores lacras de Occidente (la corrupción, el sistema de clases, la desigualdad social). Para unos es la isla de la fantasía. Para otros, una cárcel.

Los doce textos que componen este libro intentan alejarse de esos reduccionismos y contar el país desde el territorio mucho más peligroso, y por lo mismo más interesante, de la duda y la contradicción.

______________________

[Eulate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reconozco que me atrajo el nombre de Leila Guerriero, luego comprobé que ella solo escribe aquí un brevísimo prólogo, que solo coordina el trabajo de un grupo de doce personas —cubanos y no— escribiendo sobre Cuba.

· Donde son muchos, el resultado es necesariamente muy disparejo y, aunque el asunto sea el mismo, Cuba, el número de enfoques que puede tener es infinito. Y he aquí la primera sorpresa: en doce, nadie escribe nada bueno de Cuba. Hay, es cierto, un artículo, el de Leonardo Padura, que se va por los cerros del béisbol y las añoranzas de la infancia. Los demás sin excepción reflejan a las claras el fiasco que supuso la revolución y los sesenta y cinco años continuados de degradación, no de un país, sino de varias generaciones educadas en la miseria y la opresión socialista; y aún continúa.

· Pero, al cabo, nada nuevo, nada que no sepamos, nada que no se haya contado hasta la saciedad. En ese sentido, los artículos recogidos en este volumen inciden en la irracionalidad de un régimen cuyo único compromiso es resistir, aunque no sepa a qué ni para qué, y de un pueblo manso, dócil y acomodado en la desesperanza: un bucle sin sentido al que no se le adivina un final ni pacífico ni violento, solo un pasar eterno como el infierno. Eso sí, la culpa es de los americanos: hideputa Trump.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn’t able to completely finish this book before I was leaving for school (one or two essays left), but I thoroughly enjoyed it! I learned a lot of Cuba from the diverse perspectives of the authors - some have lived in Cuba their whole live, some flees Cuba during and after the revolution, travelers to Cuba. The book is a collection of 12 essays about Cuba since the warming up of relations between Cuba and the US.

The essay that stuck with me the most was the essay about women’s rights and experiences as well as feminism in Cuba. The part of this essay where the author writes about going to some sort of boarding school (can’t remember the exact circumstances) and being able to tell a person’s political standpoint and family situation based on their underwear that would be hanging to dry. Since there was only one underwear ration coupon per year during that period, you could tell who had family living in Russia or the US or who was a very loyal to Cuba based on the underwear they wore.

These essays gave me a different perspective about the island that is different than what I learned in an American history class or any recent travel article/instagram post. Definitely recommend to anyone interested in learning more about Cuba from Cuban people’s perspective.

[Dalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un excelente libro para tratar de comprender la realidad cubana en forma integral, vista desde los ojos de quienes la viven diariamente. Pese a que libro entra en temas políticos y económicos (¿cómo no hacerlo?), buena parte de cada una de las narraciones se enfoca en el aspecto social y cultural; así como de la relación recíproca entre estos y el socialismo cubano. Es una relación intrínseca en la que cada uno ha aportado algo para formar la “cubanía”; misma que los diferentes autores retratan sin los estereotipos a los que estamos acostumbrados. Aún más, nos señala los orígenes de esos estereotipos y cómo han evolucionado con el tiempo
Lo que sucederá ahora con la realidad cubana está por verse, pero tal como se demuestra en cada página, él pueblo cubano está listo para seguir adelante. Sólo esperemos que pueda hacerlo en sus términos y a su ritmo.

[Noel Cisneros]

Doce crónicas que muestran cómo es la Cuba de los últimos años, sobre todo a partir de que Fidel dejó el poder y que se dio la visita de Obama a la isla. Desde los refugiados que se han ido a Florida donde terminan cortando cocos, a pesar de haber sido médicos prestigiosos en la isla, o se volvieron choferes luego de haber sido beisbilistas de las grandes ligras; hasta las peripecias de un librero homosexual y el mundo que se congrega a su alrededor; pasando por la historia del beisbol en Cuba, la confrotnación de una escritora colombiana con la isla y su gente, la recapitulación del periodo especial por un estranjero que lo vio mientras trataba de escribir sobre el Che, una recapitulación del Tropicana ys su bailarinas, todas las cuales son ventanas para entrar a Cuba y recorrer su calor y bailar sus múltiples ritmos.

[Maja Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Ecco for sending me an advance copy of this book for review.

An insightful, sad, funny, and ultimately optimistic collection of essays from a variety of authors whom Cuba has impacted in one way or another. The essays range from analytical to emotional, from insiders and outsiders, from immigrants and emigrants. My personal favorites included the essays regarding blossoming capitalism within the country and how old socialist structures are developing (Cuban Capital, by Ivan de la Nuez), and the essay about a professional male prostitute (The Hunter, by Abraham Jimenez Enoa).

If you have any tie or interest in Cuba, this book has something for you. 4.5 stars.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cuba on the Verge is one of the first compilation essay books I've read, and it did not disappoint. As the title states: 12 different writers, either born and living in (or exiled from) Cuba or long-time visitors. It took me a while to read this, not because it was dull, but because there was so much to absorb, and I spent quite a while researching and finding articles, books, and people mentioned in these essays. I even got a great movie recommendation out of it: Fresa y chocolate, the only Cuban film to ever be nominated for a Foreign Language Oscar, was mentioned at least once in every single essay - so obviously, I had to watch it. One of the essays is also written by Vladimir Cruz, one of the leads in the film.

I give this book an honest 4.5/5 because of its varying themes, the culture immersion it allows readers to experience, and the abundance of stories by and about remarkable individuals.

xx MVF

[Tony Mistretta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good synopsis of life in Cuba from the standpoint of twelve different writers. I learned a lot about the living conditions in the backdrop of the "Special Period" that brought about economic hardships due to the loss of the Soviet Union as a trading partner. But also the lifestyles of Cubans who are resilient and have learned to make the best of their situations in a country that is filled with beauty despite its hardships. The book made me want to visit Cuba, as I have known others have done, but sad to realize that I will probably never get to go there due to the current relationship with the US. Reading the book was the next-best thing.

[Tamara Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I snatched this book up when I saw it at the library as I want to visit Cuba. Multiple essays was a really good way to introduce the country, it's culture and recent history. I found it interesting that some points were made in more than one of the stories (all by different authors). Like details about the special period and jineterismo. Glad one of the other reviewers mentioned how the book is split up between 'inside' authors and 'outside' authors, I didn't get that when I read the book.

[Ruth York · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book in a giveaway, with the request for a review. I found the stories very interesting, and enjoyed learning about a country that for so many years seemed like a taboo subject. While not a book I was able to really get into, and read quickly, it was nice to hear the stories of those who have lived and/or visited. As well learn more about the dynamics of the culture.

[Tarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really great collection that offers a lot of perspective on modern-day Cuba: political ideology, sexism, nationalism, art, colorism, censorship, homosexuality, and more.

Some of the writers have rather privileged/elite perspectives on the country, and I wish I'd seen a bit more balance. But overall a very compelling collection.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. Cuba on the Verge isn't *bad* but it's not great, either. I made it through four stories, skipped another, and half-finished a sixth. This was a library book and I didn't feel particularly compelled to renew and finish reading. I did enjoy the four stories I read, though. Cuba is a fascinating place that has always interested me and it's great to hear about a variety of experiences.

[Daniel Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent collection of 12 stories and essays with a perspective on Cuba today. Variety of topics including the lottery, Santeria, diplomatic relations with the US, Tropicana dancers - all with a fresh, current, personal approach.

[Hannah]

Eh... I think I'm just not in the mood for this. I liked the first essay, then felt bogged down by the next two and more and more lately I'm realizing that life is too short to keep reading mediocre books.

[Marc Xuereb · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was a great way for me to gain more insight into Cuban culture and politics, both of which I fell in love with while visiting this March
great variety of perspectives on the achievements, challenges, and contradictions of the revolution by both critics and supporters

[Joaquín Eraña · Rating 4 out of 5]

Realmente muy informativo sobre diferentes aspectos de Cuba y la Habana en las últimas decadas. Trata desde la prostitución hasta los cambios políticos y la moda cubana.

Para alguien interesado en Cuba y en su cultura está muy recomendado. Ligero, disfrutable e informativo.