Thoroughly enjoyed Cristina Garcia's Dreaming in Cuban: A Novel (1992, 1993). Memorable characters, magical realism, with historical backdrop covering a good chunk of the twentieth century. Cuban culture and society seen through the disparate eyes of one extended family, some in voluntary exile and some remaining in Cuba.
A helpful family chart is included to keep everyone easily sorted out. The male characters are mostly wraith-like. The strongest characters are four women: Celia (first generation), Lourdes and Felicia (second generation) and Pilar (third generation). In their various ways, they are also the most likable, or at least the most understandable. Given that Pilar is closest in age to me and has some of the same interests (including Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, the Ramones, art and visiting Cuba), she comes off to me as the most sympatico. She seems also to stand in for the author, at least loosely. Highly recommended, one of my favorite contemporary novels since reading Leila Aboulela's Minaret (2005). Now I'd like to read Garcia's A Handbook to Luck (2007), intertwining stories of exiles from El Salvador, Cuba and Iran.
Cuban cigar wrapper. From Windsor?
The first Sputnik was launched in 1957, but close enough to 1959 to add here. Sputnik launches continued into the 1960s. And Castro still abides in Cuba.
Today's Rune: The Self.
6 comments:
Sounds like an interesting book. I've been enjoying magical realism novels as I've encountered them. I also liked "Havanna Bay" a few years ago, the Martin Cruz Smith novel set in Cuba.
those all sound like interesting books.
I'm kind of scared of books where you need a roster to tell who is who character wise.
If only life were as simple as sputnik, Cuban Missile Crisis and total world annihilation through nuclear holocaust.
How did we evolve into the complications of 2009
Castro, like the Dude, abides...
Erik, I'll keep it simple and just use Hemminway as my Cuba connection. Or maybe just that hottie fishing guide that is on on Sunday mornings. Hellllllooooo Jose!
Post a Comment