Richard Gott, a British journalist and historian with many years' experience in Latin America, first visited Cuba in 1963 and has reported from the island many times since. He is the author of the classic work on post-Castro revolutionary movements, Guerrilla Movements in Latin America, and most recently of In the Shadow of the Liberator: Hugo Chavez and the Transformation of Venezuela.

"Gott's invaluable [book] dispels many convenient myths." Adam Feinstein, Guardian "authoritative... a compelling account." Louis A. Perez, Times Literary Supplement "Written with verve and scholarship,... the best history [of Cuba] yet." Ian Thomson, Saturday Telegraph "Accessible and well researched." Richard Lapper, Financial Times "Gott is always an interesting, well-informed, and engaging writer." Foreign Affairs "for some time it has been clear that there is a need for a more up-to-date account of Cuba's extraordinary history. Richard Gott's new book fits the bill splendidly.... He writes with balance, penetration and an eye for detail. Perry Anderson, New Statesman "Told with simplicity and a fresh synthesis... A wonderful account." Eliseo Cardona, South Florida Sun-Sentinel"