Fidel Castro Handbook

by George Galloway

In the year that Fidel Castro turns eighty, this is a fresh look at his life from childhood, through his dramatic conquest of power, and his extraordinary, charismatic leadership of Cuba over forty-seven years?including sharply focused ?takes? on the guerrilla struggle in the Sierra Maestra, life with the Soviet Union, involvement in Third World politics, and survival in the face of the hostility of the United States just ninety miles away. The author has researched archives from Havana, London, Washington, and Madrid and conducted original interviews with Fidel Castro's contemporaries, in Cuba and throughout the world, that provide fascinating insights into his personality and achievements.

Genres: Biography, Politics, Nonfiction, History

432 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2006

About the author

George Galloway is a British politician, author, and broadcaster, who has been a Member of Parliament (MP) since 1987 and is known for his anti-war views. He was a Labour Party MP for Glasgow Hillhead, and for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, and his subsequently becoming a founding member of Respect. He served as the Respect MP for the Bethnal Green and Bow constituency (2005 - 2010), and and for Bradford West (2012 - 2015).

Galloway is considered to be quite a controversial politician and is perhaps best known for his vigorous campaign to both overturn economic sanctions against Iraq in the 1990s and early 2000s, and to avert the 2003 invasion of that country, as well as for his speech before the then President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, in which he appeared to praise the Iraqi dictator, although Galloway actively opposed the regime until the United States-led Gulf War in 1991 and has always stated that he was addressing the Iraqi people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_G...

Reviews

[Mark Hebden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is obviously quite polemical and one sided, but if you are forgiving of Castro and sympathetic to his cause, you are probably nearer to the truth of the situation. It details the overthrown of Batista and the endless attempts at overthrow by the Americans with very colourful, descriptive language and can at times seem quite fawning. But it is a very good read and probably a better introduction to the subject of the Cuban Revolution than anything a serious academic might like to read. There are a number of illustrations and photographs, plus interviews with friends of Castro and members of the Government. A good read.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Gorgeous George" has produced a gorgeous book. The photos and poster reproductions alone are worth the purchase price, but Galloway's celebratory text tells the story of his subject's brilliant life with unapologetic enthusiasm and charm. Add to that the interviews with personalities from Ricardo Alarcon to Alice Walker, and you have something unique, a pick-me-up for anyone who has always hoped that "a better world is possible," but who is perhaps prone to being discouraged. So says Galloway:

"In my homeland of Scotland, in the summertime, the mountains are carpeted with beautiful purple heather. It is a sight to behold. But if you look close enough, amongst the thick carpeting, you may come across something more unexpected and even more beautiful. Sprigs of white heather, so rare so so heart-piercingly lovely that people habitually take some and place it in their lapel as a sign of good luck, of hope, for the future. That's what Fidel Castro is for me. A sprig of white heather in the future's lapel."

[Al Ashcott · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great biography by George Galloway about a great man! I enjoyed reading about Fidel's life and I recommend this book to everyone who's interested in an honest and unbiased reading of El Comandante. The book also has many beautiful, rare pictures of Fidel.

Al

[Adriana]

Buku ini tak terlalu bosan sebab banyak gambar. Tapi tak tahulah bila aku nak habiskan. Haha.

[Zinaj]

Gift from VT. Informative about Castro's life

[Sathya · Rating 4 out of 5]

such a great book to read

[Dylann Orozco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fascinated by this book... Proper linking between Cuba's history and Fidel's personal. I do think is a bit biased, in favor of the latter of course.

[Anton Segers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boeiend overzicht van het spectaculair leven van één van de figuren van de 20ste eeuw. Wat beknopt over de recente tijd, maar met mooi fotomateriaal, en geschreven vanuit een grote sympathie voor de mens en voor de Cubaanse revolutie.