Trilogia sucia de La Habana (Narrativas Hispanicas) (Narrativas Hispanicas)

Product Description

Este es el testimonio de un habanero descreido. Un hombre que regresa extenuado de un largo camino que finalmente no lo conduce a sitio alguno. Pero no es pesimista. Tiene que seguir adelante y lo mejor es hacerlo a golpe de ron, musica y sexo. Libro duro y en gran medida autobiografico, que reune 3 libros de cuentos, escritos con lenguaje fuerte y apretado, que disecciona La Habana de hoy: sexo, hambre, politica, erotismo, desencanto, anhelos, ron y buen humor.

Customer Reviews:

A powerful read- very enlightening details about Cuba.......2003-05-19

This book is a recount of Juan Pedro Gutierrez' personal experiences as a Cuban who was the victim of the crisis of 90's after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba's strongest ally and economic tie. This book may offend those who are fond of the Cuba that is portrayed as a paradise to many around the world but unfortunately the lifestyle of Cubans is not at all what the tourists enjoy. Also, some may be offended by the way the author portrayed is own life as an average poor Cuban male, who survived the best way he could by living a vagabond life with the company of the rum bottle, sexual encounters and salsa music. What else could a poor destitute Cuban do in a communist country whose government provides its people with the bear minimum and even less at times.

I think book just tells it like it is without any polishing which I think gives the reader a clear portrait and reveals another aspect of Cuba with respect to survival especially during the peak crisis of the 90's when the shortage of everything was notable. The basic staple needs like soap, toilet paper, food etc. could not be met and the situation is still quite comparable today in 2003. The book brings the Cuban experience to life via the language that the author uses which is at times very vulgar, raw, inappropriate and downright Cuban however, the language and the style is what brings his recounts to life and helps to situate the reader in that time frame and to identify with the author's experiences. Also, there are some interesting references to the Gods of Santeria a religion that is still practiced by many Cubans today.

Overall the book presents and aspect about Cuba that is real, hard to believe and depressing but at the same time is an eye opener and a reality check about a country who has its citizens living in poverty and in some cases below human standards.

I read the Spanish version. I believe a book like this should always be read in its original form. The language here I don't think can be carried over successfully in a translation.

Cuba's post-communist underbelly.......2003-02-03

Well worth reading, not only for the libidinous content, told artfully and with humor, but also for its stark, mostly squalid, picture of mid-1990s communist Cuba. A genuine treat.
kr

Raw, crude, unnerving but funny and poetic at the same time.......2001-05-05

Great read, I wouldn't know how to start describing it, I just know that I liked it. His prose is full of sex, misery, rum, hunger and dirt, with the constant presence of women and the ocean. A desperate cry into the hopelessness of those who lived in Cuba during the early "Special Period" of the nineties.

Book Description

La edición definitiva del libro plenamente definitivo de una época en La Habana. Una sátira enmascarada con una memoria erótica. Esta novela es un museo de mujeres, con el narrador de guía completando cada boceto, detallando cada dibujo, exhibiendo cada cuadro carnal.

Average customer rating:

For any and all kitchen cookbook collections

The Habana Cafe Cookbook
Josefa Gonzalez-Hastings , and Andria Kuzeff
Manufacturer: University Press of Florida
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Caribbean & West Indian | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0813027373

Book Description

The Habana Cafe's list of "Bests" began in 1997, soon after the Cuban family restaurant opened its doors on Florida's Gulf Coast and served its first steaming platters of homemade picadillo, arroz con pollo, and lechon asado--a mouth-watering dish of roasted pork seasoned with fresh garlic, oregano, white wine, and bay leaves and topped with grilled onions.

Culinary wizard and cafe owner Josefa Gonzalez-Hastings offers this extravagance of Cuban cooking as a celebration of her heritage. Many of the recipes were passed down to her from her mother and aunts; others are "nuevo Latino cuisine"--a fusion of traditional Cuban foods with modern dishes. Cuban food and preparation always has been varied, she says, flavored by the ancestry of the island, with contributions from Spanish conquistadors, African slaves, Asian laborers, and Indian natives.

Of course, she also includes Habana Cafe's standard sides of rice, black beans, and glazed golden-brown plantains. Customer favorites are all represented here in easy-to-follow recipes and colorful photographs--from appetizers and soups, seafood and vegetarian entrees, to classics (Cuban sandwiches and flan) and beverages (mojitos, sangria, cafe con leche, Cuba libre). Gonzalez-Hastings also provides a glossary explaining typical ethnic Cuban ingredients such as bijol, a condiment used to give rice a yellow color; naranja agria, the tart Seville orange often used to marinate meat and make mojo sauce; and malanga, a mild, nutty root that flavors soups and other sauces.

"In my Cuban family," she writes, "two things were always certain-- food and good times." Gonzalez-Hastings shares family stories and photographs of life in pre-Castro Cuba, re-creating the days when Havana was a dining mecca, Ernest Hemingway frequented La Floridita restaurant, and the island gave birth to the daiquiri.

Customer Reviews:

For any and all kitchen cookbook collections.......2004-07-06

Originally from Cuba, Josefa Gonzalez-Hastings is the head chef and owner of the Haban Cafe in Gulfport, Florida. In The Habana Cafe Cookbook, Josefa draws upon her years of experience and award-winning expertise to present a culinary compendium of "nuevo Latin cuisine" combined with traditional recipes handed down through her family from her mother and aunts. This showcase of Cuban recipes ranges from Frituras de Bacalao (Codfish Fritters); Bolliche a La Naranjada (Pot Roast with Orange Sauce); and Rabo Encendido (Oxtail Stew); to Platanos en Tentacion (Baked Sweet Plantains); Habana Tropical Punch; and Manzanas Rellenas En Almendras (Stuffed Apples with Almonds). Enhanced with family stories, advice on Cuban food and preparations, and an impressive insert of color photography, The Habana Cafe Cookbook is a welcome and recommended addition to any and all kitchen cookbook collections!

Cuando sali de la Habana : 1898-1997 : cien anos de musica cubana por el mundo

Average customer rating:

Great source of info for Cuban music fans
Buena referencia para investigadores

Cuando sali de la Habana : 1898-1997 : cien anos de musica cubana por el mundo
Cristobal Diaz Ayala
Manufacturer: Cdiciones Universal
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Great source of info for Cuban music fans.......2005-10-03

Great book for those curious about Cuban music and its roots. Easy to read and filled with tons of facts and interesting tidbits.

Buena referencia para investigadores.......2001-12-26

Es una buena referencia para investigadores y curiosos de los origenes de la música cubana, como todo lo escrito y hecho por los cubanos, tiene el sesgo de el "yoismo cubano" o patriotismo, lo cual le hace perder la objetividad; sin embargo es una recomendable referencia para todo aquel que desee conocer los orígenes de los diversos ritmos que se han gestado Cuba.

El rey de La Habana (Compactos Anagrama) (Compactos Anagrama)

Average customer rating:

Another reality check about Cuba
Incredible reading!
King of Habana?

El rey de La Habana (Compactos Anagrama) (Compactos Anagrama)
Pedro Juan Gutierrez
Manufacturer: Editorial Anagrama
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 8433967673

Product Description

Esta es la historia de un joven adolescente lanzado a las calles de La Habana de los noventa. Basada en hechos reales, con lenguaje crudo en la mejor tradicion del realismo sucio, la novela muestra a la ciudad caribeña con su gente mas pobre y marginal: mendigos, prostitutas, trasvestis, vendedores callejeros, picaros, borrachos, los habitantes de un edificio abandonado y en ruinas. Una fauna terrible y apocalíptica. A pesar de todo, el amor, el sexo y la ternura, marcan las vidas de estos seres atormentados.

Customer Reviews:

Another reality check about Cuba.......2003-05-12

El Rey de la Habana is one of the many books that have become increasingly popular about the portrait of the "real Cuba" that most tourists and outsiders do not see nor hear about. This book is raw and spares no expense when it comes to describing the life of Rey, a young Cuban street boy who struggles to survive life on the streets by stealing, abusing his body and basically prostituting himself (for fun and natural desires only not for money) as he moves from town to town just hoping to beg for enough money for at least one day's meal. The Cuba portrayed here is representative of the urban street life of many young Cubans both male and female who are forced to adopt this life style at a young age when faced with numerous adversities. A Cuban himself wrote the book so the picture could not be more real. Prepare yourself for some harsh and vulgar language, drug abuse and unlimited female encounters. Out from his ability to clean up streets and women he is know as "El Rey de la Habana". This is a sad portrait but a very true one in country that has forced its citizens to live impoverished and destitute lives. This is a well written novel in my opinion because the author did write the book using the everyday speech of these "street people". I suggest reading the book in Spanish only and purchasing a dictionary of Cuban colloquialisms because there are plenty and the meaning can not be assumed. Otherwise it is a great read and I don't think a translated version can retain the rawness and crudeness of the language.

Incredible reading!.......2002-05-04

This is a quick-reading novel. It's full of very graphic sex about the lifes of the main character and those he encounters in his short life.
On the other hand, it gives those who have no idea what it's like inside this country a sense of the sordidness of their lives, the crumbling of a system purported to be the best in Latin America. These folks live on a day-to-day basis, scratching a living by their wits, while everything around them is in every sense falling apart.

King of Habana?.......2001-03-28

Great book! The author, Pedro Juan Gutierrez, presents his main character living in modern Cuba. He is led to believe that he is the "King" of Havanna. However, as you read the book you will find that he has no "royal blood" at all.

Book Description

Havana casts its spell on all who visit. These 150 evocative black and white photographs, both recent and vintage, have been brought together to tell the story of this extraordinary city. They capture not just the stunning architecture but also the people, the music, the ageless traditions, and the turbulence and tenderness that is the real Havana. These never-before-published photographs come from an array of Cuban photographers including Osvaldo Salas, Alberto Figueroa, and Alberto Korda, among many others. Illuminating the soulful images are texts chosen from a wide variety of authors and observers, both Cuban and foreign, including Ernest Hemingway, Graham Greene, and Federico Garcia Lorca.

La Habana mesmeriza a todos que la visite. Estas 150 fotografías blancos y negros evocativas han sido compiladas para relatar el cuento de esta ciudad extraordinaria. Ellas capturan no solamente la arquitectura pero también la gente, la música, las tradiciones sin época, la turbulencia y la ternura que es la Habana real. Estas fotografías nunca impreso antes vienen de unos fotógrafos cubanos incluyendo Osvaldo Salas, Alberto Figueroa, y Alberto Korda. El texto viene de una gran variedad de autores y observadores extranjeros y cubanos como Ernest Hemingway, Graham Greene, y Federico García Lorca.

Average customer rating:

Cute book

La llamada de La Habana
Lourdes Miquel , and Neus Sans
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spanish | Instruction | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
Study & Teaching | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
Referencia | Educación | No-Ficción | Libros en español | Formats | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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Por amor al arte

Una nota falsa

Poderoso caballero

Lejos de casa

¿Eres tu, Maria?

ASIN: 0130993824

Customer Reviews:

Cute book.......2007-03-15

I'm an adult learning Spanish and this was a good first novel for me to read. It's very short, but had real enough characters tht it kept my interst. The publishing quality was poor, as several words were faded in the text and there was a slight tear in the cover.

LA Habana / Havana: Arquitectura Del Siglo XX / Architecture of the 20th Century

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful Achievement

LA Habana / Havana: Arquitectura Del Siglo XX / Architecture of the 20th Century
Eduardo Luis Rodriguez
Manufacturer: Blume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 8489396175

Book Description

The most significant themes found in Havana's 20th-century architecture are presented in depth for the first time. The Cuban Modern Movement is clearly documented and illustrated, as is its major protagonist, Mario Ramañach. Other significant architects such as Mario Rotllant and Leonardo Morales are discussed and evaluated. This work concentrates on structures built before 1959.

Se presenta por primera vez los temas significantes de la arquitectura de La Habana. La era de los modernistas es bien documentado y ilustrado tal como su mayor protagonista Mario Ramañach. La obra concentra en los edificios construidos antes de 1959.

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful Achievement.......1999-03-30

Although I've been collecting photography books for a number of years, I must confess to knowing nothing about Pepe Navarro. This leads me to believe that he is relatively young, and remains unknown in serious photographic and curatorial circles. However, based on this massive and largely impressive collection of photographs taken in Havana, Cuba, I am sure his obscurity is destined to end. I highly recommend this photo-study of a once glorious city and its people to anyone interested in fine art photography.

Moods Of La Habana: Original Music From Cuba And Photos By Robert Polidori

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Moods Of La Habana: Original Music From Cuba And Photos By Robert Polidori
edel classics
Manufacturer: edel CLASSICS GmbH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Latin Music | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

ASIN: 3937406018
Release Date: 2004-03-01

Book Description

In his fascinating images, star photographer Robert Polidori casts an objective glance at and behind the decaying facades of the Cuban capital. Accompanied by original Cuban music which moves back and forth between deep melancholy and unbridled joie de vivre, the viewer can experience the soul of Cuba the soul of Havana through the inhabitant's faces, architecture and music. Music CDs: Authentic sounds of Cuba on four CDs, including original recordings from the clubs and streets of Havana.

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