Books from Cuba
Writing from Cuba draws on a long tradition of poetry, fiction, memoir and reportage. The island's authors have often worked from exile as well as at home, carrying Cuban places, voices and history into their books.
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Contemporary Fiction
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Explosion in a Cathedral by Alejo Carpentier
A novel set in the Caribbean during the era of the French Revolution, following a family caught up in political upheaval.
- Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina García. A novel that follows three generations of a Cuban family divided between the island and the United States.
Mystery & Thriller
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Havana Blue by Leonardo Padura
A crime novel featuring a Havana detective investigating a murder in the city.
Sci-Fi & Fantasy
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Singing from the Well by Reinaldo Arenas
A novel about a boy growing up in rural Cuba and his imaginative inner world.
Poetry
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Songoro Cosongo by Nicolás Guillén
A collection of poems that draws on Afro-Cuban speech, rhythm and daily life.
- Versos Sencillos by José Martí. A book of simple, direct poems by a Cuban writer who was also a leader of the independence movement.
Memoir & Nonfiction
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Before Night Falls by Reinaldo Arenas
A memoir of growing up in Cuba and of the author's life as a writer and dissident.
- Against All Hope by Armando Valladares. A memoir of the author's years as a political prisoner in Cuba.
How we choose
These lists start from books Atlas Unread readers can stamp for Cuba. Each title and author is confirmed against Wikidata, Wikipedia or library records before it is listed.