Cuba: Between Reform and Revolution

by Louis A. Pérez Jr.

Spanning the history of the island from pre-Columbian times to the present, this highly acclaimed survey examines Cuba's political and economic development within the context of its international relations and continuing struggle for self-determination. The dualism that emerged in Cuban
ideology--between liberal constructs of patria and radical formulations of nationality--is fully investigated as a source of both national tension and competing notions of liberty, equality, and justice. Pérez integrates local and provincial developments with issues of class, race, and gender to
give readers a full and fascinating account of Cuba's history, focusing on its struggle for nationality.
This third edition features the latest research on Cuba, including a new chapter on post-Cold War Cuba that covers the years 1995 through 2004. The political chronology has been revised and updated and the extensive bibliography has been both condensed, where necessary, and expanded to highlight
the scholarship of the past decade. The book now features photographs throughout and five maps.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, Latin American History, Political Science

464 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

Louis A. Pérez Jr. is the J. Carlyle Sitterson Professor of History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also the Editor of the Cuban Journal.

Principal research interests center on nineteenth- and twentieth-century Caribbean, with emphasis on Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Current research project explores the sources of Cuban nationality and identity.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for the history of an entire country in 300 pages. While Perez's book offers a nice glimpse of some Cuban history, things start to get sparse starting in the 19th-century. There are several key events (ex. the Mariel boat-lift) that are mentioned but never explained or contextualized. It's a nice start, but I'm looking for more complete historical sources for my purposes.

[Casey Wellock · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the top 3 or 4 textbook surveys I've read. It condensed 500 years of Cuban history into 350 pages and has a massive bibliography. I wanted to give this five stars, but it can be repetitive. Major trading partners' tariff policy, for instance, repeatedly strangled the value of the island's vital sugar exports. Later on, the US embargo has the same effect. This seems to me to be elemental facts of Cuban history, but maybe there was a way of presenting this narrative to seem less here-we-go-again.

You should really get the newest edition, if you want to look into this book. The section on the 90s is heroically fascinating given how little scholarship there is on it. Cuba loses the USSR as a trading partner and is forced to function as a socialist island in a capitalist ocean. This leads to all sorts of topsy turvy results. The dollarization of the economy caused brain surgeons paid by the government in pesos to make less than bell hops paid in dollars. This caused a "brain drain" of professional talent to the service sector, particularly tourist related occupations, where earnings were in dollars. Sick and twisted.

There is not much to speak of in the way of character development in this book. You got some sense for Fidel, but Che for instance is represented by a handful of quotes. You will see far more detailed explanations of economic phenomenon than ideology, personality, or culture in this book. I'm still not even really sure what the immensely significant and influential Jose Martí stood for. I know he was for Cuban independence? Minor qualms aside, you will learn a lot not just about Cuba but about great power's relationship to the periphery from reading this book.

Recommended.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid introduction to Cuban history with a good chronology at the back and a large list for further reading.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuba is one of those countries that everyone in America knows about, but really doesn't know anything about. This book does a solid job of laying out the history of the largest island in the Caribbean starting with a short chapter on its geography and Pre-Columbian tribes through the colonial period and the Revolution of 1959 and ending at around 2013. This fifth edition was published in 2014, which means it doesn't cover the most recent changes in Cuba's relations with the United States, but it does take a long look at the changes Raul Castro has been putting in place since his brother, Fidel, stepped down from power in 2006. In fact it takes too long a look. One of the problems of this book is that as it gets closer to the present the author tends to stuff more into each chapter, going from a first chapter of 15 pages in length to a last chapter of 50+ pages. Normally, this would't be a problem, but the other stumbling block of this book is that it takes a holistic rather than a narrative approach to the topic. What I mean is that each chapter is subdivided by Roman numerals and each subdivision tackles some aspect of the period the chapter is covering, usually in a chronological manner, but most of the time bouncing around the period. It reminded me a lot of the way George R.R. Martin writes his A Song of Ice and Fire books as this author is trying to capture how a lot of different things are going on at once. That means that you have to keep track of what else is happening and when and where. It can be confusing to follow at times, but I suppose that that is because this book was written for a university-class audience, not for popular consumption. Still, this is a rather good look at both the length and depth of Cuban history and I would recommend it as a good starting point for anyone who is interested in learning more about the history of the island.

[Corey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I'm teaching a section on Cuban history, namely its war for independence and the Spanish American War, but also because of the death of Castro. The book is a survey of Cuban history from colonialism through the post Cold War period. Perez is a leading scholar, and his knowledge of the subject is not only deeply informed, but he is also profound. He presents a masterful account of Cuba's War for Independence against Spain offering new insights based on thorough research. Essentially, the war was nearly over by the time the US entered to "rescue" Cuba from their Spanish oppressors. Perez is no fan of the US attitude toward Cuba, but his analysis is sharply critical yet balanced. His account of the rise and rule of Castro is also balanced appropriately crediting their success and criticizing their many failures. Cuba's history is a sad tragedy. Had the Cubans been able to make the land reforms, which Marti promised, and the US blocked, back in 1898, the Communist Revolution likely would never have materialized because Cuba would have been left with a thriving middle class. If the death of Castro has sparked your curiosity about our southern neighbor, then this book is your answer.

[Elliot Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking for a general narrative overview of Cuban history, and was recommended Perez's work by a friend. I read the 2011 edition. Overall, this book met my needs - I definitely have a stronger understanding of the main chronology and themes of Cuban history. Obviously, it's a lot to cover in one book, and some areas could have used more explanation. But his extensive literature guide at the end makes me feel like I know where to look for more information (although some citations in the main text would have been helpful). There are also a few major events (Bay of Pigs, Mariel) that aren't ever really explained, presumably because he expects readers to already know about them, which I would have liked more information about.

My biggest criticism is that the book was pretty short on social and cultural history. I could have used fewer statistics about the economy and more discussion of what life was like for different groups in Cuba. But to some degree, that's just my preference about what kind of history I like to read. In general, this book fills a need and does it well.

[AskHistorians]

A great survey of Cuban history from Pre-Columbian times all the way to the Revolution by one of the preeminent Cuba scholars of our time. Well written and balanced in its analysis, it is an excellent academic introduction to the study of Cuban history. The author's summary island's past is the result of decades of archival research and its author shows himself to be very aware of historiography produced both in and outside of Cuba. If Gott's book is an introduction for non-historians who want to have a basic understanding of Cuba, Pérez is the introduction for academics who want to lay the groundwork for further study.

[Naeem · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a rather complete history. Its defining characteristic is its balance; Perez remains cool, distant, and academic. Normally, I don't think positively of such a posture. But books on Cuba are notorious for their polarization.

Nevertheless, Perez presents powerful insights. He regards the relationship between the US and Cuba as a pathology, each needing the other to sustain its identity. Nor does Perez pull any punches on the colonial and neo-colonial thwarting of Cuba by the US. This is a good place to start in order to develop a more nuanced political stance.

[Ram Kaushik · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this definitive book of Cuban history for a class - Perez is easily one of the foremost experts in the field, so clearly someone the US Department of State, Congress and the CIA will not call for advice on foreign policy. This is nuanced and academic writing so don't expect to breeze through but if you want to really understand the strangely neurotic world of US-Cuba relations, this book is not optional. The last chapter on contemporary Cuba feels a bit rushed but I expect this will be updated in the next edition.

[Tekla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a page turner, which is not something I would ever have thought I would say about a history book. Cuba's history is fascinating and this book is well researched and well written; the selective guide to the literature is 80 pages! Beyond the information presented I really enjoyed the way it was presented, both in organization and the writing style. I now must get my hands on a later edition to read about 2006-2015.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definitive monograph about Cuban history. I moved 800 miles away to another country to work with Dr. Pérez as I believed there was no better expert on Cuba in the world. If you read his work, you will understand why I made that choice.

[Anthony Schein · Rating 4 out of 5]

a history that is disturbingly repetitive

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Professor Perez is an amazing teacher and true authority on Cuban history.