As a nightlife historian I'm passionate about the mid-20th century: its nightlife, classic dining, and architecture. I chaired the Los Angeles Conservancy's Modern Committee from 1992 to 1997, then founded the Palm Springs Modern Committee (PS ModCom), a historic preservation organization, in 1999. I'm the author of the illustrated histories "Havana Before Castro: When Cuba Was a Tropical Playground" and "Palm Springs Holiday: A Vintage Tour From Palm Springs to the Salton Sea," both published by Gibbs Smith. I reside in the Silver Lake district of Los Angeles and in Palm Springs.

Preface 6
Acknowledgments 8
Prologue 9
Introduction 10
From Spanish Colony to Cuban Republic 12
Sugar, Rum, and Cigars 24
Havana between the World Wars 34
The Tragedy of Cuban Politics 54
Cuba's Postwar Tourist Explosion 64
Drinking, Dining, and Dancing 78
Tropicana 106
Havana at Night 124
Life as a Habanero 140
Cuba's Incredible Music Scene 158
Havana and the Mob 170
Havana Riviera 182
Habana Hilton 202
Havana's Other Fabulous Hotels 220
Havana Modern 234
New Year's 1958 and Beyond 244
Bibliography 252
Index 254
Photo Credits 256

Moruzzi emphasizes the building boom of the 1950s, when American mob characters benefited from President Fulgencio Batista's corrupt regime and tourists flocked to the enchanted island a mere 90 miles from America, helped by airlines and cruise lines offering tour packages to Havana. The vivid descriptions of casinos and hotels, many still standing, bring a lost era to life. This attractive book is written for a popular audience but is highly recommended for academic as well as public libraries.