Our man in Boston talks to the Pulitzer-winning novelist about his new memoir, Thoughts Without Cigarettes, as well as nights in New York, parks in Berlin, how publishing currently compares to Indian restaurants, what life would be like if Mambo Kings hadn't hit it big, and the difficulties of writ
In Cuba, bloggers face reprisals and internet access is governed by mysterious forces. Even telephones can't be trusted.
My recent roundup of books on Cuba made no claims for completeness--nonetheless I think it a glaring omission not having included University of Alabama history mentor Howard Jones's vital monograph, The Bay of Pigs. Included in a series from Oxford University Press called "Pivotal Moments in American
Havana is a beautiful city: loud, old, rotting in some parts, opulent in others. And, for Americans, completely off-limits unless you’re a student, Ry Cooder, or willing to risk your government’s wrath.
