Description
Book SynopsisAs Castro's democratic reform movement veered off course, a revolution that seemed to signal the death knell of dictatorship in Latin America brought about its tragic opposite. Jonathan C. Brown examines in forensic detail how the turmoil that rocked a small Caribbean nation in the 1950s became one of the century's most transformative events.
Trade ReviewBrown adds rich detail to the international ripples of the Cuban Revolution, often in lively prose. It is fascinating to see how interrelated Latin American revolutionaries were, popping up in several national stories, and equally captivating to see how influential Cuba was. -- Alan McPherson, author of
Yankee No!Brown’s path-breaking book carefully reconstructs virtually unknown episodes of the Cuban revolution and counterrevolution, illuminating the ‘secret wars’ of subversion, sabotage, guerrilla training, and paramilitary expeditions that shook the region in the 1960s. Briskly written, meticulously researched, and sweeping in scope, this book will be required reading for anyone interested in the Cuban Revolution and its impact throughout Latin America. -- Michelle Chase, author of
Revolution within the RevolutionAs in the best works of history, Brown renders vividly real the various figures who appear in his pages—statesman and rogue, patriot and scoundrel. His book is both a good read and an impressive work of scholarship, shedding light on an important question: when does the effect of U.S. policy acquire a life of its own, independent of the original intentions of policymakers? -- Jorge I. Domínguez, coeditor of
Social Policies and Decentralization in CubaOffers keen insights into how the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations dealt with [Latin American] national movements. At times, this history puts readers in the same room with leaders from all sides, offering a front-row seat to diplomatic efforts intended to thwart the spread of communism and revolutionary movements in Latin America…Brown’s well-written book makes for a highly immersive and engaging read. -- Boyd Childress * Library Journal *
Jonathan Brown has written a valuable, information-packed book that is refreshingly free of ideological baggage…The book is a stunning reminder of how deeply divided Latin America was in the 1960s, when so many young revolutionaries voluntarily risked their lives, and where military regimes took over brutally to repress them. -- David Gallagher * Times Literary Supplement *
Brown is convincing that the Cuban-trained and -inspired guerrillas posed a challenge for democracies in Latin America that was difficult for their elected leaders to solve and that, as a result, created conditions favorable for the right to take dictatorial control…[This book] adds in important ways to our understanding of the world that Cuba created. -- Patrick Iber * The Nation *
