Sarah Rainsford

I have to admit that I have not read Graham Greene's Our Man in Havana, but I enjoyed this riff on it anyway. Sarah Rainsford followed in his footsteps, sometimes relating his experiences through his writing and sometimes on her own.

My major complaint is that I was not always sure what year she was writing about, especially in the beginning of the book. She took multiple trips to Cuba, and they got muddles in my (puny little) mind. Nevertheless, she gave a good accounting of Cuba then and Cuba now, how the revolutionaries overtook a corrupt government in an idealistic enthusiasm, and how that so badly went astray. It also discussed how things changed under President Obama's terms and how conditions in Cuba are backsliding under Trump.

The writing was descriptive without meandering into flowery. I liked hearing about the people, their struggles, their love of music and dance, and the contrasts so common. Quite an interesting book.… (more)

This was both an interesting look at life in Cuba today and a fascinating look at its history as seen by a reporter assigned to Cuba. While a book that discusses Cuban life today might be interesting on its own, Rainsford makes this book even more interesting by following the steps of Graham Greene (who wrote "Our Man in Havana"). This is where the history comes in with some fascinating contrasts between the Cuba of Greene's time and the Cuba Rainsford experiences. Recommended for anyone interested in Cuba's history and culture.

Thank you to Library Thing's Early Reviewer program through which I received a copy of the book.… (more)

*I received this book through LibraryThing Early Reviewers.*

I'm mildly fascinated with Cuba and this book, written by a BCC journalist who spent a few years reporting from Havana, offers a good perspective of where Cuba is today and the problems that face those living on the island. Filled with plenty of references to Graham Greene, whose iconic novel Our Man in Havana, captured the essence of pre-Castro Cuba in the 1950s. I actually liked the author's tidbits about Ruby Phillips, a New York Times reporter based in Havana during Castro's rise, much more and almost wish I could find a biography of this fascinating woman. Over, this was an enjoyable and informative read - perfect for anyone who wants to understand the current situation in Cuba.… (more)