Havana Before Castro: When Cuba Was a Tropical Playground

Terrific book! Informative and inspiring. The Kindle version though cheaper is not as good as the print version whose pictures offer much better resolution.Overall, an excellent book. Kudos to its author.

I'm half-Cuban and I had the privilege of spending summers there every year until I was 13 in 1959 (you guess why). I cherish everything about pre-revolutionary Cuba and this, and other books like it, show what a unique and wonderful place it was. No. I didn't go to these clubs when I was 13, but my parents did and I heard plenty about them. Seeing these pictures and reading this historical review pulls at my heartstrings. I got to visit there in 2012 and everything I saw was like a sad worn down, worn out "B" movie set compared to what it was. I am glad books like this show something of what I knew and what I miss. I am an American first and foremost. I was born in my dad's home State of Texas, but Cuba is the land of my mother and her family and a good part of my heritage is there. Enjoy this and other books like it and remember what was and what could have been. It was a beautiful, exciting place, even for a 13-year-old.

Some reviewers have criticized the book for not bashing Battista sufficiently. Well, that wasn't the point of the book. The point of the book is to illustrate the glamorous life of those traveling to Cuba before 1958. In this pursuit, the book does a marvelous job.The book is wonderful for what it is. There are lots of other books on the horrors of Batista and the US government's involvement in Cuba if one wants to read them. I was in the lobby of the Riviera hotel a few years ago and it is indeed like stepping into frozen time--I appreciate it even more after reading details in these wonderfully illustrated pages. This book is a jewel for those who just want to reminisce or envision a world of glamor, sex and gambling. No more, no less. I highly recommend it.

This is my second copy of this great book, my first was damaged in a minor flood.I've visited Havana now 4 times and this book is a great asset to have in visiting this bizarre time-machine called Cuba.As an architectural designer, interested in vintage cars and a person who is totally (never ending) curious about this crazy place, this book is a real benefit in the adventure but for those who never visited...this is a real eye-opener.The writer did an outstanding job.I just wish it had twice as many pages and pictures!One of the best books on this subject....I'll be giving this as gifts.

The author's passion truly shines through in this book. And he doesn't cover just one or two aspects of Havana before Castro, but every facet that I think he could possibly fit in!I simply love this book. Though I have to admit that I look through it and wonder to myself, "Where did American glamor go?" We used to be all about the little black dress and 3-piece suits, and now I can't get professionals that want to wear slacks to the office...Oh well, FANTASTIC book! I'm donating a copy to my Lodge's cigar bar!KUDOS to you, Mr. Moruzzi!!

The pictures in the Havana Before Castro: WhenCuba was a Tropical....reading it, I couldn't put it down.I kept running to my husband showing him all the neat pictures I was looking at. I finally gave up and sat next to him and we read together. It's a beautiful book, with beautiful pictures in in and the people are so colorful. I loved the book right away and I plan to purchase more of them. It's such a thrilling book, I love it! Thank you, Amazon!

It is a good pictorial account of Havana in the first half of the XX century; however, some images are inaccuaretly labeled.

As a first generation Cuban American, I was enthralled with this book. I was too young to remember Havana when my parents took me and then Castro came and I have never been back. I'm am hopeful to one day be able to return and visit. Many of the clubs and hotels are gone by many of the sites will still be there in all their glory. It would be wonderful to have a time machine to visit the Havana that my parents knew and that are depicted in this wonderful book!

I've been visiting Havana for the past fifteen years. To have a jammed packed book full of information and photos of Havana, before the current Castro regime took over, offers a unique look into Havana's past. Political ideologies aside, this is an excellent book to have if you're interested in history from a tourist perspective. Afterall, Havana wasn't a tropical playground for many Cubans before Castro either...research Batista, and you'll undertand why.

C'est un livre incroyable, en anglais malheureusement, un livre qui nous envoie directement dans cette HAVANE d'avant la révolution des "barbudos". Son auteur connait visiblement son sujet. Il a recueillit énormément de documents, essentiellement des photos, des affiches, des objets de ces années 1930-1940-1950. Le plus fabuleux est qu'il est retrouvé des lieux, des batiments décrépis et qu'il nous montre en deux photos, une en noir et blanc et l'autre en couleurs, l'histoire avant et après de ces endroits. On à l'impression qu'un mauvais régime destructeur a eu raison de ces lieux. Des regrets, l'anglais pour l'écriture et le sentiment que le bouquin aurait gagné en puissance si l'auteur s'était adjoint des cubains disposant de documents encore plus éloquants. Mais bon les relations entre les deux pays sont toujours aussi mauvaises, alors...dommage...

Lots of picture of Cuba in the old days. A brief history but many pictures.

Great book.