It was Ed Sullivan who once presented Castro to his American audience as the “George Washington of Cuba.” This book almost echoes that refrain, along with such tidbits as the following lyrics sung to “Jingle Bells” in Cuba:
With Fidel, with Fidel
Always with Fidel
Eating corn or malange
Always with Fidel
Whether this constant injesting of corn or malange has in any way contributed to Castro’s undoubted charisma is beside the point, which is that while maligned in the United States, Castro has held on to the reigns of power in his native country as Franco did in Spain. The author relates with startling clarity and many interesting historical sidelights how Castro has confounded his adversaries over and over again. Adversaries like Luis Somoza, who remarked before the Bay of Pigs expedition: “Bring me a couple of hairs from Castro’s beard.” JB

Publisher: Andrews and McMeel
Paperback: 458 pages
Illustrated