Summary
For Spanish-language readers who follow Cuba, a timely and important work of history.
In the years since its first appearance in 1974, Jaime Suchlicki's "Cuba: From Columbus to Castro" has seen five editions and has been recognized as a masterwork. It now appears in a graceful new translation as "Breve historia de Cuba". The book is in print for nationwide U.S. publication on November 1, 2006.
Professor Suchlicki, who directs the Institute of Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami, could not be publishing his Spanish edition at a more favorable moment. For the first time in 47 years, political power in Cuba is up for grabs. Now more than ever, the first question about Cuba on almost anyone's lips is: "What will happen after Castro?" It is also the question that occupies the powerful conclusion of Suchlicki's narrative. "Breve historia de Cuba", which brings readers to the end of 2005, explains Cuba's present crisis in the author's characteristically sharp and lucid manner.
Cuba, as much as any society, embodies the idea that all history is current history. Professor Suchlicki's concise but rich panorama begins with Cuba's colonization by the Spaniards and ends with the difficulties of reconstructing the country after half a century of one-person rule. "Breve historia de Cuba" also brings intellectual refinement and cool objectivity to a subject that has been overwhelmed by impassioned political arguments.
As Cuba enters one of the most crucial periods in its life, the choices that its people make--and the choices that others make with respect to Cuba--will have the profoundest implications for our hemisphere. With its perspicacity and wisdom, "Breve historia de Cuba" is certain to be a valued guide in the troubled times that lie ahead.
About the Author
Jaime Suchlicki is one of the world's foremost authorities on Latin America and Cuba. He holds the Emilio Bacardí Moreau Professor of History and International Studies at the University of Miami, where he directs the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies. Professor Suchlicki is also the author of several studies, including "Mexico: From Montezuma to the Fall of the PRI", "Historical Dictionary of Cuba" and "University Students and Revolution in Cuba".
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