Cuba (Winner of the Pulitzer Prize): An American History

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE IN HISTORY
WINNER OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE IN HISTORY

“Full of…lively insights and lucid prose” (The Wall Street Journal) an epic, sweeping history of Cuba and its complex ties to the United States—from before the arrival of Columbus to the present day—written by one of the world’s leading historians of Cuba.

In 1961, during the Cold War, the United States stopped diplomatic relations with Cuba. A momentous revolution had taken power in Cuba three years earlier. The stand-off continued for more than half a century. It endured through the tenure of ten American presidents. It also lasted through the fifty-year rule of Fidel Castro. Fidel Castro died in 2016. His brother and successor, Raúl Castro, retired in 2021. This has spurred questions about the country’s future. Meanwhile, politics in Washington have evolved. Barack Obama opened relations to the island. Then, Donald Trump reversed that policy. The election of Joe Biden has made the relationship between the two nations a subject of debate once more.

Now, award-winning historian Ada Ferrer delivers an “important” (The Guardian) chronicle. It demands a new reckoning with the island’s past. It also reassesses its relationship with the United States. Spanning more than five centuries, Cuba: An American History provides us with a front-row seat. We witness the modern nation’s evolution. It has a dramatic record of conquest and colonization. It also shows slavery and freedom. We see its struggle for independence and revolutions made and unmade.

Along the way, Ferrer examines the sometimes surprising intimacy between the two countries. She often finds it troubled. Her documentation highlights the influence of the United States on Cuba. It also shows the many ways the island has been a recurring presence in US affairs. This story offers Americans unexpected insights into the history of their nation. It helps them imagine a new relationship with Cuba. “Readers will close [this] fascinating book with a sense of hope” (The Economist).

Filled with rousing stories and characters, this book draws on more than thirty years of research in Cuba, Spain, and the United States. The author’s extensive travel to the island over the same period further enriches it. This results in a stunning and monumental account like no other.