Rating: 
Summary: Great Book, Compelling Read
Review: Read this book and you will get a history of Cuban Baseball, a touching story about the familial bond between brothers, a stirring tale of one man fighting against government oppression, a gripping read of back door intrigue worthy of Ian Fleming, and an uplifting story about one man overcoming the odds to pitch in the World Series for the New York Yankees.Well researched and well written. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Duke of Havana
Review: The Duke of Havana is an enjoyable reading piece, written by two newspapermen, which shows the combination of baseball with Cuban history/ politics through the telling of the story of Orlando 'El Duque' Hernandez and his journey from ideal Cuban sportsman to starting pitcher for the New York Yankees. Through baseball the history of Cuba is told from the period just before Fidel Castro came into power in the 1950s, his change of the baseball game in Cuba into one that exemplified the glory of the state, to its current troubles (Special Period of Time in Peace) since the Soviet Union's collapse that can be mirrored in baseball by Cuba's current hemorrhaging of Cuban baseball players defecting to the United States.
Overall the authors use baseball to show the state of the average Cuban in Cuba today and how it got to be this way through world events spanning back to the 1950s. It also demonstrates Castro's amazing political prowess through his ability for political weathering in where he has been able to adapt to the times to keep his hold on Cuba. It also, to some extent, tells the story of the anti-Castro forces against him on the other side of the Florida Straits.
While the story is written well and it is easy to follow the events/ history presented, a rudimentary knowledge of baseball history and rules as well as some knowledge of Cuban history is needed to fully understand this book. Some of the immigration rules/ situations are also not entirely explained but with some basic assumptions what is going on can usually be determined. The book was primarily researched through first hand interviews and this lends a very intimate feel for the material presented.
Rating:
Summary: Duke of Havana
Review: The Duke of Havana is an enjoyable reading piece, written by two newspapermen, which shows the combination of baseball with Cuban history/ politics through the telling of the story of Orlando `El Duque' Hernandez and his journey from ideal Cuban sportsman to starting pitcher for the New York Yankees. Through baseball the history of Cuba is told from the period just before Fidel Castro came into power in the 1950s, his change of the baseball game in Cuba into one that exemplified the glory of the state, to its current troubles (Special Period of Time in Peace) since the Soviet Union's collapse that can be mirrored in baseball by Cuba's current hemorrhaging of Cuban baseball players defecting to the United States.
Overall the authors use baseball to show the state of the average Cuban in Cuba today and how it got to be this way through world events spanning back to the 1950s. It also demonstrates Castro's amazing political prowess through his ability for political weathering in where he has been able to adapt to the times to keep his hold on Cuba. It also, to some extent, tells the story of the anti-Castro forces against him on the other side of the Florida Straits.
While the story is written well and it is easy to follow the events/ history presented, a rudimentary knowledge of baseball history and rules as well as some knowledge of Cuban history is needed to fully understand this book. Some of the immigration rules/ situations are also not entirely explained but with some basic assumptions what is going on can usually be determined. The book was primarily researched through first hand interviews and this lends a very intimate feel for the material presented.
Rating: 
Summary: DOPE.
Review: This is a great book for anyone that loves baseball or cuban political and cultural topics. It was a great first hand depiction of what was happening in cuba before and after the great number of baseball defections in the early nineties. By examining the occurance of world class baseball outside of the framework of commercialism, capitalism and general exploitation, it provided a candid, emotional and alternative look at the sport of baseball iteself. I loved this book.
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