Synopses & Reviews
...a powerful account of a vanished world...invaluable.-
Newsweek"Its contribution to our understanding of Cuban history and national temperament is no less than its immense appeal as a human testament....All the fire and dash of the Cuban character, the refusal ever to cringe or to give up, take on flesh and meaning in the reminiscences of this stubborn veteran."-Times Literary Supplement
Miguel Barnetlives in Havana, Cuba, where he was born in 1940. He is the originator of the tradition of "Testimonial" fiction in Latin American letters, and he remains the genre's acknowledged master.
Review
"...a powerful account of a vanished world...invaluable." -- Newsweek
Review
"...as authentic a voice of history as you are likely to hear." --
National Catholic ReporterReview
"He [Esteban] is the radical truth so many of us are still so reluctant to face." -- National Catholic Reporter
Synopsis
In this remarkable testimony, Cuban novelist and anthropologist Miguel Barnet presents the narrative of 105-year-old Esteban Montejo, who lived as a slave, as fugitive in the wilderness, and as a soldier in the Cuban War of Independence. Honest, blunt, compassionate, shrewd, and engaging, his voice provides an extraordinary insight into the African culture that took root in the Caribbean.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [209]-213).
About the Author
Miguel Barnet lives in Havana, Cuba, where he was born in 1940. He is the originator of the tradition of "Testimonial" fiction in Latin American letters, and he remains the genre's acknowledged master.
Table of Contents
Translator's Preface
Slavery
First Memories
Life in the Barracoons
Life in the Woods
The Abolition of Slavery
Life in the Sugarmills
The War of Independence
Life during the War
Afterword
Footnotes
Glossary