In This first-person account of his years living on the fringes of Castro's Cuba, Corbett takes the reader on a colorful and bumpy ride to explore the contradictory stew of Cuban character. Beyond the throngs of tourists streaming through Central Havanas broad Prado Avenue, and outside the yoke of Castros 43-year-old Revolutionary program, there exists a parallel Cuba a separate evolution of a people struggling to survive. With personal stories that depict a people torn between following the directives of their government and finding a way to better their lot, journalist Ben Corbett gives us the daily life of many considered outlaws by Castros regime. But are they outlaws or rather ingenious survivors of what many Cubans consider to be a forty-year mistake, a tangle of contradictions that have led to a stable instability?At a time when Cuba precariously walks on the ledge between socialism and capitalism, This is Cuba gets to the heart of this so-called outlaw culture, bringing readers into the living rooms, rooftops, parks, and city streets to listen to stories of frustration, hope, and survival.
This Is Cuba: An Outlaw Culture Survives
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"Let it be said immediately that "This Is Cuba is quite simply the best, the most complete, and most devastating portrait of that unfortunate country to be found in any language."
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
About the Author
Ben Corbett is a freelance journalis t who has spent the past three years researching a nd writing almost exlusively on Cuban culture, pol itics, and economics. Some of his features on Cuba have appeared in Tattoo Magazine, Ea syriders, Fringe Golf, and Relix . He lives in Colorado.
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"Rico mani! Rosita rica!" At the Payret theater on the corner of Prado Avenue and San Jose, an old woman driffs past, drawling out the tired vowels. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
"Rico mani! Rosita rica!" At the Payret theater on the corner of Prado Avenue and San Jose, an old woman driffs past, drawling out the tired vowels. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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4.3 out of 5 stars
43 reviews
39 of 44 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A bit apologetic, but a good first-hand account
30 Nov 2004
By Jerry Brito
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Ben Corbett's "This is Cuba" is a frustrating read, at least for a Cuban-American with family still living on the island. On the one hand Corbett lived in Cuba, lived among the people, and contributes an undeniable first-hand account of life there. On the other, he refuses to make a clear judgment about the sociopolitical system he recounts.
The book's thesis is that Castro's regime has so perverted incentives, that every Cuban, in one way or another, breaks the law every day. That in order to survive, Cubans must be outlaws. But rather than condemn such a system, Corbett sheepishly asserts that this is only the result of misapplied socialism, and that if only things were done better, it would all work out.
The book is also riddled with incorrect translations from Spanish that make you wonder about the rest of the book's foundations. It also contains many inaccurate cultural references, such as calling La Virgen de la Caridad Cuba's "patron saint"; she is the Virgin Mary. It is frustrating that most American readers will not catch the mistakes.
Despite these criticisms, however, I would still recommend this book. Corbett lived in the island, saw what went on with his own eyes, and such an eyewitness account is very valuable. Even if he sometimes equivocates, his descriptions of crumbling buildings, unscrupulous block snitches, and the resilient character of everyday Cubans is good.
One important theme Corbett draws out in this book is how the Castro regime has become completely dependent on the tourism trade and has made the Cuban people completely subservient to that interest. First-person stories of this development are key to understanding today's Cuba.
The book's thesis is that Castro's regime has so perverted incentives, that every Cuban, in one way or another, breaks the law every day. That in order to survive, Cubans must be outlaws. But rather than condemn such a system, Corbett sheepishly asserts that this is only the result of misapplied socialism, and that if only things were done better, it would all work out.
The book is also riddled with incorrect translations from Spanish that make you wonder about the rest of the book's foundations. It also contains many inaccurate cultural references, such as calling La Virgen de la Caridad Cuba's "patron saint"; she is the Virgin Mary. It is frustrating that most American readers will not catch the mistakes.
Despite these criticisms, however, I would still recommend this book. Corbett lived in the island, saw what went on with his own eyes, and such an eyewitness account is very valuable. Even if he sometimes equivocates, his descriptions of crumbling buildings, unscrupulous block snitches, and the resilient character of everyday Cubans is good.
One important theme Corbett draws out in this book is how the Castro regime has become completely dependent on the tourism trade and has made the Cuban people completely subservient to that interest. First-person stories of this development are key to understanding today's Cuba.
19 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enorme!
10 May 2006
By Jotas Jimenez
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I am Cuban and I been living in this great country the USA for 26 years. Most of my family still lives in Cuba and everything Mr. Corbett writes in this book is true. I disagree with maybe one or two things, but when I finish reading this book I thought it was great that finally someone wrote a book so honest about my country. When it comes to Cuba nobody ever ask the Cubans what they think. Mr. Corbett did ask and he lets the people tell their stories. He wrote this book very humble and it feels good to know some people are listening instead of having all the answers like all of these people that goes there for a week and think they know Cuba. Most people writes about how great Castro is and how the Cubans love him, a lie. Also I want to correct this reviewer below. The title of this book, This Is Cuba, is an expression we have in my homeland. When someone asks maybe "Why does the people here make only eight dollars a month while Castro buys for himself an airplane for fifty million?" A Cuban will answer "Because This Is Cuba!!!" If you really want to know Cuba then you should read this book and maybe Before Night Falls and Dirty Havana Trilogy.
21 of 25 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cuba: Good and Bad
27 Feb 2004
By Andrew Desmond
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I visited Cuba in March 1997 and have always been drawn back to books that allow me to vicariously revisit the country.
Ben Corbett's book manages to walk a fine line between an admiration for Cuba (especially her people) and often stern criticism of the Castro regime. It differs, therefore, from many other books about Cuba. Corbett is no Miami based Cuban exile with a chip on his shoulder but nor is he a naïve promoter of the Communist Party government. In short, Corbett has real credibility.
From another angle, Corbett is clearly no blow in visitor who, after a week or two in the country, regards himself as some sort of expert. Instead, Corbett has visited the country on a number of occasions and for considerable lengths of time in each case. He has immersed himself in the country from a variety of perspectives and has clearly travelled widely and met a host of individuals, many of whom he now counts as friends.
It seems to me that Corbett has a love for Cuba but a distinct distaste for the regime. Yet for all this, he has no axe to grind. Far too many critical Cuba commentators are allied with the exile communities in Florida. Unfortunately, for all the errors and flaws of the regime, its hasty end may well herald the return of the exiles and a still less than positive outcome. There may be no velvet revolution.
I recommend this book to all readers interested in Cuba and its future.
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