The surprising story of Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, and the scrappy band of rebel men and women who followed them. Most people are familiar with the basics of the Cuban Revolution of 19561959: it was led by two of the twentieth centurys most charismatic figures, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara; it successfully overthrew the island nations USbacked dictator; and it quickly went awry under Fidels rule. But less is remembered about the amateur nature of the movement or the lives of its players. In this wildly entertaining and meticulously researched account, historian and journalist Tony Perrottet unravels the human drama behind historys most improbable revolution: a scruffy handful of self-taught revolutionariesmany of them kids just out of college, literature majors, and art students, and including a number of extraordinary womenwho defeated 40,000 professional soldiers to overthrow the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Cuba Libre!s deep dive into the revolution reveals fascinating details: How did Fidels highly organized lover Celia Sánchez whip the male guerrillas into shape? Who were the two dozen American volunteers who joined the Cuban rebels? How do you make land mines from condensed milk cansor, for that matter, cook chorizo à la guerrilla (sausage guerrilla-style)? Cuba Libre! is an absorbing look back at a liberation movement that captured the world's imagination with its spectacular drama, foolhardy bravery, tragedy, and, sometimes, high comedyand that set the stage for Cold War tensions that pushed the world to the brink of nuclear war.
- | Author: Tony Perrottet
- | Publisher: Blue Rider Press
- | Publication Date: January 22, 2019
- | Number of Pages: 384 pages
- | Language: English
- | Binding: Hardcover
- | ISBN-10: 0735218161
- | ISBN-13: 9780735218161