As usual, Dervla Murphy has given readers a detailed travel book about the people and history of Cuba with her own individual take on the country. She arrived sympathetic to the revolution and after three visits was still impressed with what she had seen but the reader follows the changes in her views as she meets new people and encounters new situations. It is her accounts of conversations with people that are the best bit of Dervla Murphy's writing for me. She has a knack of meeting people and drawing out their views and then getting introductions to other people in a snowball-like process. She is funny and articulate as she tells her honest story. As well as the people, Dervla walks through the mountains and finds places away from the tourists. The first trip to Cuba is with her daughter and three grandchildren who she calls the trio. This is a different Dervla Murphy to the one we have known recently, although her travels with her young daughter are wonderful reads, and it was interesting to hear her as a doting and loving grandma. This gave a different dimension to the book. ( )

As expected, a very detailed and surgical analysis of Castro's Cuba. His form of Socialism may be the answer to many countries of the majority world that are currently torn asunder by all the worst forms of Capitalisms side effects.

As expected, a very detailed and surgical analysis of Castro's Cuba. His form of Socialism may be the answer to many countries of the majority world that are currently torn asunder by all the worst forms of Capitalisms side effects.