Havana Blues

Havana Blues

A provocative, compelling story of old Cuba!

The year is 1952 and Ramon Rodriguez’s life as a teenager in fun-loving Havana is filled with typical activities and concerns: girls, education, religion, baseball, parties, and hanging out with friends. The country is enjoying a period of prosperity and happiness--until General Batista stages a coup that topples the government and Ramon’s life is flung into chaos. In a few short years, the carefree fifties morph into a vicious and repressive dictatorship highlighted by corruption, organized gambling, school closures, student demonstrations, police brutality, and assassinations. As Ramon experiences the thrills of his first romantic relationship, graduates from school, and struggles to plan for an uncertain future, he is forced to make important decisions that may be dangerous to him, his family, his friends, and his girlfriend – the beautiful Sonia -- and could turn deadly.

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About the Book

The fun-loving fifties are rolling along, and Cuba is enjoying a period of prosperity and happiness under President Carlos Prio Socarras―who makes famous the words, “I want to be a cordial president.” Prio is such an easygoing and tolerant president that ESQUIRE magazine publishes an article proclaiming Havana the unequivocal “Sin Capital of the World.” But General Fulgencio Batista does not enjoy such licentious behavior or that type of worldwide reputation. On March 10, 1952, he stages a successful coup that topples the government; and, suddenly, the carefree fifties morph into a dark and disheartening period, highlighted by corruption, gambling, prostitution, student demonstrations, and assassinations.

Four teenage friends, who liken themselves to the Three Musketeers, are caught in the political uncertainty of the decade as they decide what to do with their future while dealing with conservative religious middle-class moral values on one hand and wild, unrestrained living on the other.

Viewed in first person narrative from the eyes of fifteen year old Ramon Rodriguez, this historical novel focuses on the love story of Ramon and Sonia, and their struggles to manage confusion and guilt as they attempt to grow into successful, well-balanced adults while reconciling religious and moral values with love and sex within a background of political chaos —

Details
Author:
Genres: Historical Political Coming of Age Fiction, Romance
Tag: Recommended Books
Publisher: Custom Book Publications
Publication Year: 2017
ASIN: 197923793X
ISBN: 9781979237932
List Price: 21.95
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David Pereda