I Was Cuba

By Kevin Kwan

While most think of Cuba as a mythical island of rum, rumba, and revolution, period photographs reveal a more complexplace. I Was Cuba is an original look at Cuban history as seen through the Ramiro Fernandez Collectionarguably the world's leading archive of Cuban photos and ephemera. I Was Cuba showcases rare, vernacular images from the nineteenth century through the revolutionary period, exploring the everyday and the eccentric. With texts from famed Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas ( Before Night Falls ), this captivating volume is an intimate view into a bygone era of glamour, political upheaval, and astounding visual culture.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811860531
• ISBN13: 9780811860536
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 2.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 9.6" x 6.4"

Customer Reviews

I was Cuba: Treasures from the Ramiro Fernández Collection

An excellent and exquisite gathering of outstanding pictures of my native country with no politcal emphasis, just plain art at its best. The collection as placed on the book gives the viewers a fantastic "review" of the various epochs in Cuba. Outstanding!!

"I Was Cuba...." REAL TREASURES

I Was Cuba: Treasures from the Ramiro Fernandez Collection This book contains an amazing collection of old photographs that essentially cover the entire island. It is a real TREASURE. The selection of images is excellent; subjects are representative of 'times gone by'. I have gifted the book to individuals who lived in Cuba and are familiar with many of the places included in the collections of photos. The response has been extremely positive. The author deserves credit for such a good selection of subjects, relatively good images -considering the time that has passed. Younger persons have also enjoyed a 'virtual visit' to a country that is out of bounds for most people.

I WAS CUBA

I had originally bought the book for me, but when I opened the book and saw all the beautiful pictures of what Cuba once was, I knew I had to give this book to my parents. When my mother unwrapped the book on Christmas Day and started to look at the pictures with my dad, tears came from both their eyes. My mother hugged me and could not stop thanking me for the gift. Those of Cuban Heritage, please buy his book, for "YOU ARE CUBA" and you won't regret it.

Superb photos -- a lost Cuba brought to life!

This tidy little volume is worth much more than it costs. The nicely embossed cover has a "quality" feel, and the pictures deliver a unique experience. I bought this as a birthday gift for the father of my fiancee -- he's visited Cuba on a business basis (he's in an industry that IS allowed to do limited biz with the island's current regime). Anyway, he was delighted. This brilliantly chosen photo collection illuminates a Cuba that no longer exists. The thing to remember is, the "lost" Cuba is not dead, just slumbering beneath the surface of the modern Communist state. The Cuban past caught in these pix explains a lot of the present reality; it may be VERY relevant to the near future, when Castro is gone and Cuba's mixed history and modern experience recombine. Highly recommended. P.S. - I also bought, and he also loved, Es Cuba Es Cuba: Life and Love on an Illegal Island, a nicely written love-and-hate story of contradictions in contemporary Cuban life.

The greatest Cuban photo book ever

Wow, now THIS is a masterpiece. Well chosen material juxtaposed in creative and sometimes very funny ways, and a singular look at a well-known subject. The collection that these photos came from must be truly magnificent. I already bought ten copies for my Cuba-obsessed friends, and I'm just getting started. Both the collector and book designer get the highest marks possible!