Havana Dreams: A Story of a Cuban Family

Hailed by the New York Times as a Notable Book of the Year when it was first released, this is a lyrically written chronicle of Cuba as seen through the eyes of the women of a prominent, yet notorious, Cuban family. It is also an elegant narrative of Cuba's past and its present, its good and its bad. Its genesis is the Cuban-American author's own memories of a pre-Castro Cuba of the nineteen forties and fifties, still steeped in its colonial miasma, redolent of family, traditions, and a certain indolence that was reserved for those who lived the life of patrones. I was drawn to this book, as I am also a Cuban-American, and the author's memories in many ways are mine, as well. I was also intrigued by the intimate portrait of Castro's one time mistress, Naty Revuelta, and the history of her family as set against the backdrop of Cuba. I was interested in how her illicit relationship with a young, fiery revolutionary by the name of Fidel Castro would forever change her life and that of her family. Her family's fortunes and misfortunes parallel those of Cuba itself. Castro's own relationship with his island country would forever change Cuba also, turning it from a colonial paradise for the rich and well-to-do into a crumbling relic from the past, offspring of the mating between heady and romantic revolutionary rhetoric and reality. Engrossing and memorable in its telling, the author paints a poignant, and fully engaging portrait of Naty, her mother, Dona Natica, a Batista era socialite, and Naty's two daughters, Alina and Nina, one of whom is the fruit of Naty's brief intimate relationship with Castro, the other the daughter of her cuckolded husband. Both her daughters are now expatriates, living in the United States. The story of Naty's family is presented in all its heartbreak and is artfully drawn against the grand panorama of what is modern Cuban history. This is a masterful and luminous book that will appeal to those with an interest in Cuba, as well as to those who enjoy a well-written memoir, steeped in historical context. Bravo!

An excellent first hand account of the lives of people in an area in which time has stood still. Makes one realize why we need to support a democratic society but not compromise on the traditions and values of our respective cultures. This novel has tremendous insight into the Cuban heritage and the influence that communism and democracy has had on the civilization of a nation. Totally engrossing, realistic and awe inspiring. I strongly recommend Ms. Gimbel's novel to all who want to gain a greater understanding of multi-national traditions and the integrations of socities.

Wendy Gimbel weaves together Cuba's present and past so poetically that history becomes literature. In light of current trends toward increased contact with Cuba and the problematical policies on refugees, Havana Dreams is especially timely. I strongly recommend this book for all who want to undertand Cuba from the inside out.

I just came back from my first visit to Cuba and I picked up this book and read it in one sitting. The book is intelligently and elegantly written, totally absorbing and captures Cuba perfectly. This is a wonderful book.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I dont see how anyone can find it boring, and I am not of Cuban descent. Gimbel gives a fascinating picture of 100 years in the life of one Cuban family-and not just any family, since one member had an affair with Fidel Castro and a daughter by him. Gimbel was not telling the story of her own childhood, and she deserves credit for not letting it interfere with the subject family's story. Her Cuban background and early life in pre-revolutionary Havana does give her credibility and explains her access to these people at all. She gives enough of a historical and geographical persepective of the country to make me want to know more, and her detailed descriptions allow the reader to visualize each scene in detail. This book should not be taken as representative of the entire country over the last century--a different family could probably have told a very different story. The author makes an effort to remain in the background and let the people in the book tell her their feelings. Gimbel has certainly captured my interest with this book.