Havana : A Subtropical Delirium

A city of tropical heat, ramshackle beauty, and its very own cadence—a city that always surprises—Havana is brought to pulsing life by New York Times bestselling author Mark Kurlansky. This insider's view draws on more than thirty years of intimate knowledge, presenting a multilayered portrait that is part cultural history, part travelogue, enhanced throughout with recipes, historic engravings, photographs, and the author's own pen-and-ink drawings.

Havana celebrates the city's singular music, literature, baseball, and food; its five centuries of outstanding, neglected architecture; and its extraordinary blend of cultures. Like all great cities, Havana has a rich history that informs the vibrant place it is today—from the native Taino to Columbus's landing, from Cuba's status as a U.S. protectorate to Batista's dictatorship and Castro's revolution, from Soviet presence to the welcoming of capitalist tourism. This is a place of extremes: a beautifully restored colonial city whose cobblestone streets pass through areas that have not been painted or repaired since long before the revolution.

Through the eyes of Cuban writers such as Alejo Carpentier and José Martí, and foreigners including Graham Greene and Hemingway, Kurlansky reveals the city's many faces. He introduces us to Cuban baseball and its highly opinionated fans, the music scene alive with the rhythm of son, and a distinctive culinary legacy. The result is an electrifying portrait that brings the long-elusive city of Havana stirringly to life.