The great strength of this book is that it helps the reader to see beyond the simplistic accounts of such aspects, and to understand the wider contexts that explain the Revolutions survival. The insight and detail offered here reflect a work that is the product of a sustained scholarly investigation of Cuba. Now professor of Latin American history at the University of Nottingham, Kapcia has been studying Cuba, from outside and from within, for four of the Revolutions five decades of fluctuating fortunes . . . Among the approaching anniversary literature, students of Cuba are unlikely to find a more thoughtful or well-informed analysis of half a century of revolutionary change than Kapcia provides in this book.
Times Higher Education
This reliably accurate and comprehensive narrative provides an extremely original and insightful analysis of the Cuban revolution . . . [a] persuasively coherent argument . . . Chapter 4 examining the relationship between Castro and Cuba is simply brilliant. Highly Recommended.
Choice
This much-needed account of the Cuban Revolution spans Cubas history since Castro came to power in 1959. The problems of a philosophy of continual change combined with a desperate attempt to survive the US trade embargo by clinging to the status quo make for interesting dilemmas. In particular, Professor Kapcia explains the trauma brought about by the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989-91. The book is a handy primer for those looking to the future of Latin America and the current lefty-leaning governments.
Diplomat Magazine
If you are looking for a readable overview that offers a cogent analysis of the last 50 years of Cuban history, Kapcias volume is to be recommended.
Reviews in History