Rating: 
Summary: I was disapointed by this book....
Review: The publicity around this book let me to believe that it contained stimulating, informative, and objective views about Cubans and the Exile community. I was wrong, and I can not recommend the book to anyone who is looking for those things.The author, in a very sophisticated but still pre-packaged style, manages to deal with a highly complex historical problem with such wide simplistic and romantisized brushstrokes that anyone familiar with the subject will tear their hairs out! However, it may be that the book will appeal to those not interested or familiar with the facts, do not care about the Cuba experience, and simply want to read it as an escape during a long fantasy weekend.
Rating:
Summary: Poor Bathroom Reading
Review: This book is slanderous,lack's the truth, and is biased. Written by a Castro sympathizer,she writes nothing new about Cuba, that everyone hasn't already read.
To write that those who fled the dictator and his ways only to set up a "mirror system ", in Miami, is obviously a gross slap in the face to Cuban Americans who lost everything in their flight to freedom. Perhaps Ms. Bardach should spend a little more time in Miami speaking to those affected by that totalitarian regime and not her obviously skewd sources in Cuba.
Due to the authors lack of credibility ,this unfortunately doesn't even make my bathroom reading list, nor should it make yours!
Rating:
Summary: Poor sources
Review: This book only provided unfounded allegations and does a complete disservice to it's readers.
It's a great read if you're in the mood for fiction, since the sources are virtually unverifiable.
Rating: 
Summary: less shocking than appalling
Review: This book shows the appalling depths that foreign influences have sunken when it comes to US foreign policy. The issue that is not talked about sufficiently is how so many American actors have divided loyalties that harm the United States. Not to pick on Cuban exiles, it should be noted that divided loyalties are just as rampant among Jewish-Americans who support US policy toward Israel. Ms. Bardach should be commended for speaking out, especially on an issue profoundly connected to this president's (Bush II) family.
Rating:
Summary: right book, right time
Review: This incredibly thoughtful, balanced, and critical book is the result of a tremendous amount of research. To understand why some readers (did they read it closely, did they read it at all?) responded unfavorably you have to read the book. Because exile politics are underreported in Florida and get next to no coverage outside of Florida the author's work is indispensable.
Rating:
Summary: an obvious agenda
Review: what a disappointment!!! the Bush family and the entire cuban exile political structure equals the devil....fidel and raul castro etc..they're kind of cute !!! thats what Ann Louise would have us believe ! the betrayal at the bay of pigs is brushed over...I guess Ann figures a democrat was president and they are almost perfect...
Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: What a great book!! I used to live in Miami and can tell you that everything she writes about is TRUE. A large group of the exiled community (especially the older ones) dream of a renewed regime a la Batista, where they were able to take advantage of people. I experienced the Elian saga first hand, these people are a bunch of fakes, ungrateful and demanding and ard are portrat perfect in the book!
I would love to go to Cuba and see the REAL cubans.
Rating:
Summary: Not worthy
Review: While Ms. Bardach trashes and slams Cuban exiles and refugees pretending she has "inside" information, she conveniently avoids the real situation in Cuba. The deplorable human rights conditions, lack of democracy and the past 43 years with no freedom of speech or elections. The pages of her book would be a great asset for bathrooms in Cuba. I'm not talking about reading material, either.
Rating:
Summary: The Truth Hurts, Huh?
Review: Wow! She's got guts. As an earlier reviewer noted, to understand the negative reviews of this book, you have to read the book. I read it in 2 days, although some of the sections on the Cuban exile community are just so disheartening/sad/frusturating that I had to skim over them.
The U.S. public has been fed one version of Cuba by a lazy media and pandering politicians. But more and more people are becoming more and more interested-visiting Cuba and educating themselves....Bardach's book is an excellent contribution!
Rating:
Summary: Loving Cuba is hard love
Review: Yes, the Cubans have suffered under Castro. I agree and understand their pain. So? The Cuban American millionaires and terrorists (Bosch for example) in Bardach's book suffered and then triumphed by bringing their ideas, ideology, and conniving ways to the US under the guise of seeking freedom--Freedom to do what? Toss bombs and acid at other exiled Cubans exercising Constitutional rights? Become another demagogue like Jorge Mas Canosa, rip off the Americans, create an ethic Cuban ghetto that excludes other Latinos, spit on concert goers trying to see Cuban musicians, bribe and other wise nefariously influence Florida politics? All this and heaven too. Well, you detractors of the book have called it disgusting and other things but the truth hurts doesn't it? I have spent time in Cuba as a US diplomat (1987-89)in the US Interests Section and know many of the people mentioned by Bardach. Her descriptions are right on the money, e.g. Elizardo Sanchez, a real hero in the Cuban human rights movement. That the Miami right wingers are against the Varela Plan is truth not fiction, and as for checking sources and reliability nothing in Havana or Miami is what it appears to be so what's the use trying to verify what's not on the record? Her book names names, dates, countries, files, memos, etc enough to satsfy me and the general reader. Of course, if you have an Anti-Castro agenda this book will infuriate you, and obviously has by the looks of some of the reviews. All I have to do is put the screwed up, angry, menacing looks we saw on TV in Miami during the Elian debacle and fit those faces to the irate reviewers. And so it goes. Perhaps one should just read Samuel Huntington's latest screed on Hispanics (Foreign Policy Magazine, March 2004) to know the Cubans want to turn South Florida into their own Banana Republic. Lord have mercy, and will the last American leaving Miami please bring the flag. Thanks Ms. Bardach for exposing this ugly under belly on both sides of the drink. Watch out for the bombers.
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