The Cuban Americans

(Hardback)

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Description

Today more than one million emigres make up the Cuban diaspora, and many, though living in America, still consider themselves part of Cuba. This book captures the struggles and dreams of Cuban Americans. Using this resource, students, teachers, and interested readers can examine the engaging and often controversial details of Cuban immigration. Such details include patterns of immigration, adaptation to American life and work, cultural traditions, religious traditions, women's roles, the family, adolescence, language, and education. Because the author is himself a Cuban American, he does not treat the emigres as mere subjects nor does he teill their story in statistical terms alone. As an "insider", he delves deeply into the soul of the community to illustrate all the dimensions of the Cuban American experience. Gonzalez-Pando's unique vantage point yields not just a detailed account of major events that have influenced the development of Cuban exile community in the United States, but also a knowledgeable interpretation of the impact of those events. He focuses on the community's self-identification as "exiles," showing how these reluctant emigres have found the strength to succeed in America without surrendering their sense of national and cultural identity. A timeline of Cuban American history, biographical sketches of 20 noted Cuban Americans, a bibliography, and photos complete the text. Like its subjects, this book is thought-provoking and inspiring.

Reviews

.,."provides a readable and rich narrative of the experience of immigrants from this Caribbean nation....The greatest strength of this work is the frequent integration of oral histories into the narrative, allowing the voices of Cuban immigrants to speak for themselves....The chapters on cultural and national identity and on politics are impressively balanced and provide original insight into the complex experience of Cuban Americans...fills a gap in the extensive scholarship on Cubans in the United States by providing an informative text appropriate for secondary school and general audiences. This volume should go far in fulfilling the series' goals of introducing and increasing understanding of the United States' newest immigrant groups."-ARBA
...provides a readable and rich narrative of the experience of immigrants from this Caribbean nation....The greatest strength of this work is the frequent integration of oral histories into the narrative, allowing the voices of Cuban immigrants to speak for themselves....The chapters on cultural and national identity and on politics are impressively balanced and provide original insight into the complex experience of Cuban Americans...fills a gap in the extensive scholarship on Cubans in the United States by providing an informative text appropriate for secondary school and general audiences. This volume should go far in fulfilling the series' goals of introducing and increasing understanding of the United States' newest immigrant groups.-ARBA
[T]he book provides a broad but thorough sweep of the history of Cuban immigration and the issues that have characterized this group's arrival to and settlement in the United States.... Gonzalez-Pando provides the reader with an insightful overview.-Journal of American Ethnic History
The combination of historical and cultural approaches makes this concise and engaging narrative a welcome addition.-School Library Journal
The Cuban Americans is a fascinating look at those who have come to our country from Cuba, their political activities, accomplishments and failures, culture, and traditions. ...The historical slant is especially valuable for collections lacking in Cuban history. Highly recommended.-The Book Report
This comprehensive and well-organized volume contains an impressive amount of documented data on the economic, political, and cultural impact that new arrivals continue to make upon the ethnically diverse American landscape ....Gonzales-Pando has produced an engrossing and objective study of the Cuban migration to the United States.-VOYA
"The book provides a broad but thorough sweep of the history of Cuban immigration and the issues that have characterized this group's arrival to and settlement in the United States.... Gonzalez-Pando provides the reader with an insightful overview."-Journal of American Ethnic History
"[T]he book provides a broad but thorough sweep of the history of Cuban immigration and the issues that have characterized this group's arrival to and settlement in the United States.... Gonzalez-Pando provides the reader with an insightful overview."-Journal of American Ethnic History
"The combination of historical and cultural approaches makes this concise and engaging narrative a welcome addition."-School Library Journal
"The Cuban Americans is a fascinating look at those who have come to our country from Cuba, their political activities, accomplishments and failures, culture, and traditions. ...The historical slant is especially valuable for collections lacking in Cuban history. Highly recommended."-The Book Report
"This comprehensive and well-organized volume contains an impressive amount of documented data on the economic, political, and cultural impact that new arrivals continue to make upon the ethnically diverse American landscape ....Gonzales-Pando has produced an engrossing and objective study of the Cuban migration to the United States."-VOYA
..."provides a readable and rich narrative of the experience of immigrants from this Caribbean nation....The greatest strength of this work is the frequent integration of oral histories into the narrative, allowing the voices of Cuban immigrants to speak for themselves....The chapters on cultural and national identity and on politics are impressively balanced and provide original insight into the complex experience of Cuban Americans...fills a gap in the extensive scholarship on Cubans in the United States by providing an informative text appropriate for secondary school and general audiences. This volume should go far in fulfilling the series' goals of introducing and increasing understanding of the United States' newest immigrant groups."-ARBA

Author Bio

MIGUEL GONZALEZ-PANDO is the founder of the Cuban Living History Project at Florida International University.