Fidel Castro

Rating:
Summary: On Fidel and Fidelismo
Review: Fidel Castro has been the master of Cuba for decades. His presence has not only touched the people of Cuba, but many inhabitants of the world, for better or for worse.

Skill is exhibited from Quirk in his well cited presentation of historical events of great magnitude in scope. Development of the material is biased against Castro, often with sound justification. In contrast, Cuban accomplishments under Castro's supervision are not alloted their due weight. Most importantly, since this is a biography-- I found the personal aspect missing. After reading this book, I am still not sure who Fidel Castro is, besides that he is extraverted.

It appears as if certain traits are randomly ascribed to Fidel to suit the writer's point. At times Castro is presented as a simple, down to earth person, comfortable with a lot of details and "common sense" -- unable to grasp the big picture, the implications of his actions, and the scope of his reality. Sometimes he is presented as just the opposite: too creative, too imaginative, too idealistic to observe the details right in front of him. The biographer is not serendipitous, for if Fidel did grow as a person over time, this is not indicated.

One Castro is presented as very friendly, very emotional, and very sensitive. This is negated by the harsh, insensitive, cold, and stubborn presentation of him elsewhere. Is Fidel a dedicated socialist ideologue-- or a pragmatic nationalistic power monger? Perhaps we can say that Castro is a totalitarian Stalinist power monger obsessed with control, a work-a-holic who presses his ambitions on others. When the need to shift gears arises, Quirk rapidly presents a different Castro -- one that is unorganized, careless, very pragmatic, always late, who does not care about his urgent needs. I feel the man is hopelessly obscured in the hatchet job.

Many decades of his life are treated and his relationship with his family is seldom covered. Nor his private life, his desires, his aspirations, et cetera. His relationship with various siblings is given meager, if any weight.

Thus -- this is an interesting, fascinating read of the historical events of Fidel Castro's life, as well as a condemnation of the naughty things that have been going on in Cuba. I would recommend this book to others, but with a grain of salt-- not only is it "anti-Castro," it seems not to be about the person.

Rating:
Summary: On Fidel and Fidelismo
Review: I have read this book recently as well as all of the reviews by customers. There's some amazing stuff in these reviews, by the way, ranging from "I like Cubans and they are cool people" to "I hate Texans and patriotism."
Whatever. Quirk's book is an excellent treatment of Castro and of the troubled history of a small nation often caught between two struggling superpowers, whether it was Spain and the US or Russia and the US. I think he captures the essence of Castro's adventurer friend Ernesto Guevara (a murdering dilettante who has, amazingly, become a cult hero in death mainly because of his looks and a good press agent named Herbert Matthews)and of his effeminate brother Raul as well. I have spoken with Jose Pardo Llada, who was an early supporter of Castro and knew him intimately for many years. Pardo is also one of the main references used by Quirk (he uses Pardo's "Fidel" and "El Che" extensively, for example, in the early chapters) and Pardo feels that Quirk has captured the leadership styles of Castro quite well. Yes, the man is charismatic but also highly erratic and given to extreme highs and extreme lows. He is also very, very clever and knows how to use the stage to his benefit. These are Castro's qualities and behaviors, and Quirk does a solid job in capturing and describing them.
I particularly like the analysis of Castro's youth and of the environment from which he emerged. Three rather clear elements seem to define his personality and Quirk highlighted them indirectly: the anti-americanism that he witnessed in his home as a child (his father came from Spain as a raw recruit to fight the Americans); his Galician ancestry, which subjected him to the ridicule that all "gallegos" in Cuba have had to endure; and his rural (guajiro) upbringing, which again pitted him against the more cosmopolitan young people he would meet in Havana's Belen School and who were sure to let him know he was not one of them.
On the charge that Quirk is biased (presumably against Castro and pro USA), I am not sure where that evidence is. The segments about the CIA and their role in trying to dislodge Castro are brutally honest and unbiased, in my opinion. It certainly makes the CIA look very human, if not downright bumbling and dogmatically arrogant. It is not very complimentary of US presidents either. And some parts of the book seem too formulaic, going day by day in rather tedious form and analyzing Castro's ten-hour speeches in way too much detail for my tastes.
But, undoubtedly, if you detest "patriotism" and Texan accents, and if you believe Communists and the European Left are the cat's whiskers, then you may not like the well-researched and documented facts in Quirk's book. Otherwise, it is excellent.

Rating:
Summary: Well documented but a little harsh
Review: I started this book with a lot of prejudice pro Castro. The book tears him down to human and often small proportions. It is difficult to argue against a book that is so well documented, but I have the feeling the author has a problem to get rid of his negative prejudice. He keeps the scientific standards in mind though, so I don't mind. It gives me the opportunity to be objective about Castro and his revolution. And that is not easy with such a controversial figure. Disturbing was that sometimes I couldn't see the difference between quotation and opinion of the author. There are also some superfluous details.

In the end I can't follow the author in his negative prejudice. I can only conclude, that the Americans treated the Cubans and Castro in a very stupid, if not shameful, way. He deserved much more support than many other dictators that were strongly supported by the U.S.

Rating:
Summary: well researched, but very bias
Review: Mr. Quirk has certainly done his homework. This book is packed with information, and it really takes you through Fidel's life and I feel as though I have a picture and a sense of the man.

The problem to me though, is the book seemed very one sided. There were too many jabs and remarks about Cuba and Castro in the book. Fortunately for me right before reading this book i spent 2 weeks in Cuba *with the people*. Being a musician i was able to get close to Cubans in a way most people can't. With these 2 sources of information (Cuba and the book) I have been able to form my opinion of Castro and of Cuba. I love Cuba and I love the Cubans, AND i'm not a socialist AND i do have some admiration for Castro.

True, Cuban government literature is extremely biased as well, but the people are honest. If this book came with round trip tickets to Cuba you could really get a fairly broad and honest picture of castro and cuba. But since it doesn't, i recommend reading with care.

Please consider this (my 2 cents): 1) i talked with many cubans who feel Castro was a better alternative to the outside (yes U.S.) domination they were facing. Cuba has a very violent and oppressive past. 2) Children of the revolution who do not know life before Castro do not hate him, they seem to like him to some degree. 3) Remember: low crime, little or no domestic violence, little or no child abuse. no drugs, little racism between the Spanish Cubans and the Afro-Cubans. Nearly 100% literacy!

4) The Cuban people are genuinely gentle and kind

I guess Castro should get some credit for some of this, but i didn't find much in this book.

Yes, i'm aware gays are persecuted, people build rafts out of logs to get away, toilets don't flush, and they truck water into the havana. This is not the way I would want to live.

This is my point: please be open-minded and take care with the Cubans and with Cuba and even with Fidel. There is a lot to consider when reading about Cuba. Too many Cubans on both sides 'of the water' have been hurt by recklessness and greed.

Please remember i am not an authority on any of this. These are my humble opinions and observations.

Rating:
Summary: intelligent
Review: Prior to reading Quirk's biography of Fidel Castro, I had developed a vehement hatred for Communist Cuba. This hatred originated from anti-Communist propaganda I had experienced during middle-school, they said Castro nearly started WWIII, and was a hoodlum who should have been taken out a long time ago.

But then a few people I knew recommended Quirk's biography of Castro, they also recommended two other fine bio's of Fidel, one by Georgie Anne Geyer, and another by Tad Szulc. I purchased the book, and read it with a completely biased perspective. But after reading the book, I really began realize what my teachers had told me about Castro was a complete fallacy. Castro, contrary to popular opinion, was a man who had the best interests of his people when taking power, and is not the megalomaniacal tyrant that I had come to think of him as. The author intended to write a negative portrait of "El Commandante", but the author couldn't possibly conceal Fidel's vast achievements. After reading Quirk's book, I am completely convinced Fidel Castro is one of the few genuine genius's of the Twentieth Century, belonging in the ranks of Churchill, FDR, Lenin, and Trotsky. I highly recommend this extraordinary book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Bio!
Review: Prior to reading Quirk's biography of Fidel Castro, I had developed a vehement hatred for Communist Cuba. This hatred originated from anti-Communist propaganda I had experienced during middle-school, they said Castro nearly started WWIII, and was a hoodlum who should have been taken out a long time ago.

But then a few people I knew recommended Quirk's biography of Castro, they also recommended two other fine bio's of Fidel, one by Georgie Anne Geyer, and another by Tad Szulc. I purchased the book, and read it with a completely biased perspective. But after reading the book, I really began realize what my teachers had told me about Castro was a complete fallacy. Castro, contrary to popular opinion, was a man who had the best interests of his people when taking power, and is not the megalomaniacal tyrant that I had come to think of him as. The author intended to write a negative portrait of "El Commandante", but the author couldn't possibly conceal Fidel's vast achievements. After reading Quirk's book, I am completely convinced Fidel Castro is one of the few genuine genius's of the Twentieth Century, belonging in the ranks of Churchill, FDR, Lenin, and Trotsky. I highly recommend this extraordinary book.

Rating:
Summary: ok, that's nice
Review: that's one of the best books I read about this issue