This book is neither simply a timeline narrative of Cuban history nor a traditional history of Cuban culture. Instead, it invites the reader to enter Cuban history from the perspective of the island's uniquely creative cultural forms. As it does so, it traces that restless island as it ebbs and flows with the power, beauty, and longings of its culture and history. The book examines canonical figures like Marti, Ortiz, and Lezama as well as others not so canonical (rappers, performance artists, painters). The text freely roams through literature, film, music. Afro-Cuban religions, painting, and performance, providing insights into Cuban identity, nationalism, political discourse, choteo, and utopian longings in a new era of globalization.
