Hispanic Heritage Month

Spanning more than five centuries, Cuba: An American History reveals the evolution of the modern nation, with its dramatic record of conquest and colonization, of slavery and freedom, of independence and revolutions made and unmade. Along the way, Ferrer explores the influence of the United States on Cuba and the many ways the island has been a recurring presence in US affairs. This is a story that will give Americans unexpected insights into the history of their own nation and, in so doing, help them imagine a new relationship with Cuba. Filled with rousing stories and characters, and drawing on more than thirty years of research in Cuba, Spain, and the United States--as well as the author's own extensive travel to the island over the same period--this is a stunning and monumental account like no other.

Perrottet chronicles the events of the Cuban Revolution and the figures at the center of the guerrilla uprising: Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, and the scrappy band of rebel men and women who followed them. The general timeline of the Cuban Revolution of 1956-1958: It was led by two of the 20th century's most iconic figures, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara; it successfully overthrew the island nation's US-backed dictator; and it quickly went awry under Castro's rule. In this wildly entertaining and meticulously researched account, Tony Perrottet unravels the human drama behind history's most improbable revolution: a scruffy handful of self-taught revolutionaries--many of them kids just out of college, literature majors, art students and young lawyers, and including a number of women--defeated 40,000 professional soldiers to overthrow the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.

Beginning with the first written account of the island, penned by Christopher Columbus in 1492, the selections assembled here track Cuban history from the colonial period through the ascendancy of Fidel Castro to the present. The Cuba Reader combines songs, paintings, photographs, poems, short stories, speeches, cartoons, government reports and proclamations, and pieces by historians, journalists, and others. Most of these are by Cubans, and many appear for the first time in English. The volume presents a number of pieces about twentieth-century Cuba, including the events leading up to and following Castro's January 1959 announcement of revolution.

Based on the award-winning documentary of the same name, which is available as a DVD in the JSCC Library, Voices from Mariel features the experiences of marielitos from all walks of life. These are stories of disappointed dreams, love for family and country, and hope for a better future. This book illuminates a powerful moment in history that will continue to be felt in Cuba and the United States for generations to come

Discover the colourful soul of Havana with renowned photographer Heidi Hollinger! Heidi Hollinger first travelled to Havana in 1988 and has been returning often for almost 30 years. On every trip to Cuba's capital, she visits Selene, her adoptive grandmother. She truly knows the city intimately. Like Heidi, you'll be dazzled by Havana--the city's endless visual feast will blow you away. Her expert eye captures the extraordinary beauty of the Baroque and Spanish Colonial architecture, which bears witness to 400 years of history, the vibrancy of Cuba's music, the country's new cuisine, the rooftop terraces, the thrill of getting around by almendrón (vintage cars), the top shops and restaurants and the loveliest areas to visit.

In 1996, Ry Cooder went to Cuba, rediscovering talents of Cuba's foremost folk musicians, and then making a recording selling millions and earning a Grammy Award. Cooder now returns to Cuba with filmmaker Wim Wenders to reveal the stories, personalities, and music of the performers who collaborated on that recording. Includes live performances in Amsterdam and at Carnegie Hall.
**Click on the title to go to the streaming video on Kanopy**

Handmade in Cuba is an in-depth examination of Ediciones Vigía, an artisanal press that published exquisite books crafted from simple supplies during some of Cuba's most dire economic periods. Vividly illustrated, this volume shows how the publishing collective responded to the nation's changing historical and political situation from the margins of society, representing Cuban culture across the boundaries of race, age, gender, and genre. In this volume, poets and scholars reflect on the unique artistic direction of Rolando Estévez, who oversaw the creation of over 500 handmade books and magazines between 1985 and 2014. They highlight the beautiful designs and unusual materials selected, including fabric, metals, wood, feathers, and discarded items. Through diverse perspectives, including an interview with Estévez himself, the essays showcase the unlimited inventive possibilities of books as objects, as sculptural pieces, and as installations.

Picturing Cuba explores the evolution of Cuban visual art and its links to cubanía, or Cuban cultural identity. Featuring artwork from the Spanish colonial, republican, and postrevolutionary periods of Cuban history, as well as the contemporary diaspora, these richly illustrated essays trace the creation of Cuban art through shifting political, social, and cultural circumstances. Contributors examine colonial-era lithographs of Cuba's landscape, architecture, people, and customs that portrayed the island as an exotic, tropical location. Encompassing works by Cubans on the island, in exile, and born in America, this volume delves into defining moments in Cuban art across three centuries, offering a kaleidoscopic view of the island's people, culture, and history.

A lush journey through Cuba, its paladars, and its flavorful cuisine. For Cubans, food is a complex story--a tapestry of love and loss woven so deeply into their culture that it goes well beyond that of history or sustenance. Gershman, who's love affair with Cuba began long before her first visit, takes you along on a photojournalistic journey through the streets of Cuba and its paladares through her stunning photographs of the country's glorious sights, the lively people, and, of course, the amazing variety of food. Much more than a cookbook, Cuban Flavor is an introduction to a revolutionary era of Cuban cuisine: a new frontier.

Cuba is experiencing a cultural and culinary renaissance. With a recent influx of investment and tourism flooding the country, paladares (private restaurants) are on the forefront of change. This is the first book to tell the story of Cuban cuisine through the lens of the restaurant owners, chefs, farmers, and patrons, while examining the implications of food short­ages, tourism, and international influences of a country experiencing a paradigm shift in cooking. Filled with 150 authentic and modern recipes adapted for the home cook, from classics like Ham and Cheese Empanadas to Pumpkin Flan with Spinach and Saffron, and 350 vivid color photographs, Paladares brings the country's spirited cooking into your own kitchen.