This fascinating work provides an enlightening guided tour of the island of Cuba's historical, political, economic, and sociocultural development from the pre-Columbian period to the present.Cuba: A Global Studies Handbook offers a revealing look at a nation that, in its ongoing pursuit of freedom, has been a colonial pawn, a neocolonial paradise for corrupt politicians and dictators, an alluring vacation destination, a defiant Communist holdout and embarrassing thorn in the side of the powerful United States. Drawing heavily on his own research and experiences on the island, the author follows Cuba’s political, economic, and sociocultural development from the pre-Columbian period to the present—with an emphasis on the revolutionary period. The book’s reference section includes alphabetically organized entries on important people, places, and historical events, as well as shorter sections on Cuban Spanish, national traditions and holidays, cuisines, and important organizations. Also featured is a chart tracing the development of Cuban popular music and a listener's guide to some of the best available recordings.A useful reference section provides a descriptive alphabetical listing of specific information on important people, places, and historical events, as well as sections on Cuban Spanish, etiquette, national habits and traditions, cuisine, holidays, and important organizationsIncludes a detailed chronology of Cuban history from pre-Columbian times to the present, with emphasis on the revolutionary triumph of the late 1950s and early 1960s, Castro's enduring Communist regime, and the economic crisis of the "special period" that began in Cuba in 1990
