Cuba - The Land of Miracles

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good insights but far too egocentric - Rated
This is a good book about life in Cuba in the mid-nineties, and not much has changed 6 years on, so most of the content is not out of date. He conveys a good sense of what Cuban daily life is. Smith is a careful observer, though not as careful a researcher of facts and figures; his analysis is a bit superficial and unsystematic.

The main problem I have with the book is that the author is too egocentric. The word "I" must appear a million time, and the prose often reads more like a book about the author himself than about Cuba. Would have been better if he had taken a bit of a step back here and there.

A personal, quirky and highly enjoyable look at modern Cuba - Rated
Stephen Smith's 'The Land of Miracles' is a personal look at life in what Fidel Castro calls the 'special period' in the history of Cuba. It is based on several extended visits to the country over a number of years, and Smith gets himself into a variety of interesting and often amusing situations in order to experience and understand the real Cuba: eating Jútia (a large tree rat and a great delicacy), taking tango lessons, being initiated into Santería, among others. He writes with affection for the country and its people and an obvious admiration for their ability to cope with the hardships and deprivations of recent years, and an enjoyable aspect of his style is the fact that he never takes himself, the 'Brit abroad', too seriously. Reading the book, you find yourself wondering if he will in fact get that 'in-depth' interview with Fidel which is his great ambition. And in the end? Well, of course, you'll have to read it to see. An extremely good read and an excellent introduction for anyone planning a visit to 'The Land of Miracles'.