Che's Chevrolet, Fidel's Oldsmobile: On the Road in Cuba - Hardcover

Schweid, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0807828920 ISBN 13: 9780807828922

Verlag: The University of North Carolina Press, 2004

Inhaltsangabe

Book by Schweid Richard

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Críticas:

Enormously readable . . . a refreshingly original take on [Cuba]. . . . A sweaty and often frenetic journey into what makes the island tick. . . . Schweid is one of those insatiably curious travelers who mixes with everyone he meets. His descriptions of how Cubans have lovingly preserved--and cannibalized--the vintage old American models that long ago disappeared from U.S. streets, provide entertaining interludes that break up the story.--St. Petersburg Times This rambling, well-researched, well-written study of mechanical transportation on, as JFK so aptly put it, 'that imprisoned island, ' is full of interesting facts concerning Cuba's lack of economic development and its continuing love affair with pre-1959 American automobiles.--Southern Pines Pilot Brilliantly written, informed by firsthand insights, and illustrated with a remarkable collection of photographs of cars from the early 1900s to the present, this essay gets top recommendations for a truly remarkable read.--Choice A delectable read. . . . Schweid carefully and masterfully weaves the myriad stories comprising Cuba's patrimony amidst a gritty and well-balanced look at the history of automobile culture on the island. Presented in a pleasant, reader-friendly format, Schweid's book is reminiscent of that one fantastic history professor that every lucky arts student encounters: it teaches much while the audience actually enjoys the journey.--Caribbean Studies Ever wonder about the classic cars you see in any TV show or movie about Cuba? Check out Che's Chevrolet, Fidel's Oldsmobile.--USA Today [Schweid] demonstrate[s] his keen understanding of Cuban culture with this unusual book. . . . The photos . . . add supplemental force to Schweid's knowledgeable text.--Publishers Weekly A sturdy history and a lyrical song of love for the cars of yesteryear. The result: a treat for motorheads and geopolitics buffs alike.--Kirkus Reviews [Schweid] weaves a crisp, intricate tale of Cuba's generations-long, symbiotic relationship with (mostly) American cars, despite lifetimes of political upheaval, repression, and economic hardship. . . . Richly illustrated with scores of current and archival photos, this is a satisfying read about a troubled nation and how cars, intentionally and otherwise, shaped its destiny.--Hemmings Classic Car Schweid creates a picture of a widely diverse culture by retelling the stories of mechanics, musicians, artists, carpenters and others, all of them big fans of old American cars.--Creative Loafing (Charlotte, NC) In Che's Chevrolet, Fildel's Oldsmobile: On the Road in Cuba, Richard Schweid thoroughly researches the Cuban relationship with the automobile. . . . Through these scenes, readers get a sense of the contrast of past and present-day Cuba, its colorful people and their love for cars.--Metrotimes

Reseña del editor:

Vintage U.S.-made cars on the streets of Havana provide a common representation of Cuba. Journalist Richard Schweid, who traveled throughout the island to research the story of motor vehicles in Cuba today and yesterday, gets behind the wheel and behind the stereotype in this colorful chronicle of cars, buses, and trucks. In his captivating, sometimes gritty, voice, Schweid blends previously untapped historical sources with his personal experiences, presenting a car-centered history of life on the island over the past century. Packard, Studebaker, Edsel, De Soto - cars long extinct in the United States can be seen at work every day on Cuba's streets. Havana and Santiago de Cuba today are home to some 60,000 North American cars, all dating back to at least 1959, the year the Cuban Revolution prevailed. Though few new parts have arrived in Cuba since 1960, the cars are still on the road, held together with mechanical ingenuity and willpower. Visiting car mechanics, tracking down records in dusty archives, and talking with car-crazy Cubans of all types, Schweid juxtaposes historic moments (Fidel Castro riding to the Bay of Pigs in an Oldsmobile) with the quotidian (a weary mother's two-cent bus ride home after a long day) and composes a rich, engaging picture of the Cuban people and their history. The narrative is complemented by fifty-two historic black-and-white photographs and eight color photographs by contemporary Cuban photographer Adalberto Roque.

Über diese Auflage

• Verlag: The University of North Carolina Press
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0807828920
• ISBN 13: 9780807828922
• Einband: Tapa dura
• Anzahl der Seiten: 256