From the Escambray to the Congo: In the Whirlwind of the Cuban Revolution
“ Víctor Dreke, second in command to Guevara in the Congo, relates … a rich assortment of … remembrances of Guevara … as well efforts to dismantle racial discrimination in [Cuba]…. [He] presents the steps a young revolution took to … lift a semicolonial nation from under the brutal Batista dictatorship into the Cuba of today.” --Black Scholar“These books are the kind of books historians are always hoping for, but that very rarely see the light of day. Their value for average readers and for scholars cannot be overstressed, for several reasons, the most important being the historical process of reconnecting Cuba and Africa at a time when such reconnecting continues to be fiercely discouraged by the powers-that-be … a first-hand account by Che’s most trusted aide during their seven months in the Congo … the reader gets a clear glimpse of some of the principles that allowed Cuba to do so much in the face of such constant threats to its own survival…. In a subdued, almost humble, way, these books can be seen as collective praise for what Cuba has been able to do, not just for specific African countries, but for the majority of humanity resisting the unrelenting assaults of the capitalist system” --Jacques Depelchin writing inAfrican Studies ReviewonFrom the Escambray to the CongoandOur History Is Still Being Written."First-hand testimony of the end of the Batista dictatorship and the attempts to create a better government in its place. An insert of black-and-white photographs adds a visual touch to the gripping experiences.... A welcome and much appreciated addition." --Midwest Book Review