A review by lattelibrarian
Cuba on the Verge: 12 Writers on Continuity and Change in Havana and Across the Country by Leila Guerriero

5.0

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!