[Franklin Marquez – Age –50’s; Birthplace – Santiago de Cuba, Cuba; Residence – Miami, Florida, U.S.; Lives with Wife and Children; Occupation – Attorney, Writer, Moderator of the Blog]
I mentioned a few weeks ago that I had purchased Yoani Sanchez’ book, Havana Real. I’ve received it and I’m so happy I bought it. Here’s the link to her publisher’s site.
I wondered whether I should bother buying the book since I follow the blog. I wondered whether there would be anything different. The blog has archives, so I could have gone back and read old stuff.
Another reason I debated about buying it was that, even though I wanted to support her efforts, I couldn’t figure out how she could benefit financially from book sales, since she was in a communist country. I decided she probably has it accumulating somewhere in the world, and someday when there’s a free Cuba, she’ll enjoy it. I’m sure she won’t leave until Cuba is free; after all, she left once, and returned. Unheard of. In fact, why should she leave after it is free, especially if her efforts help make it so?
I’m glad I bought the book. I learned how the blog started. She has pulled out the blog entries that she thought would be interesting and would tell a story. And they do. It’s really incredible seeing her descriptions of Cuba several years ago when she began her now famous blog.
I also learned that her blog was initially named Cuba Libre. I did not steal the name from her blog. I had no idea. In fact, I didn’t know who Yoani Sanchez was when I began this blog. Americans know the term Cuba Libre as a rum and coke, with a piece of lime. (Actually, they generally pronounce Libre as Libra.). But I hope most readers know what it means – Free Cuba, meaning the speaker hopes Cuba will be free someday.
If you have an interest in a daily account of a person living in Cuba, persecuted, living like the other Cubans, check out the blog, and/or buy the book. It’s very interesting.
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