Read Goodbye My Havana The Life and Times of a Gringa in Revolutionary Cuba Anna Veltfort Books

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An eyewitness account of idealism, self-discover, and loss under one of the twentieth-century's most repressive political regimes

In this gripping testimonial, a US teenager passes into adulthood during the headiest years of the Cuban Revolution. Set against a backdrop of world-changing events, this graphic memoir follows a small anti-imperialist community of expatriates in the early days of Fidel Castro's regime. Brought to Cuba as a girl by an enthusiastic American stepfather, Connie Veltfort initially leads a relatively privileged life, and she wholeheartedly embraces the leftist cause. She attends school, prepares for a career in the arts, and makes close friends, developing a genuine love for her adopted country.

But Goodbye, My Havana proceeds as progressive disillusionment and heartbreak. The consolidation of Castro's position as "Maximum Leader" brings violence, cruelty, and betrayal to Connie's doorstep. The crackdown that ultimately forces her family and others to flee for their lives includes homosexuals among its targets, and Connie's coming-of-age story is also about the dangers of coming out. Connie's intensified outsider status is what allows this gringa to identify more closely with the Cuban people during the most fraught of times. Determined to complete her university education and to remain with her girlfriend, Connie postpones flight but hatches a plan for escape.

Looking back with a mixture of hardheaded clarity and tenderness at her alter-ego and a forgotten era, Anna Veltfort takes leave of the past even as she brings neglected moments of the Cold War into the present.