These anonymized experiences tell of the sometimes-improbable circumstances that led a generation to leave their homeland and everything they knew to come to a foreign country and start their lives again from scratch.

This book is for anyone interested in stories of courage and the pursuit of freedom. The memories have been collected from anecdotes passed down over generations, interviews, and personal recollections. Many of the stories are in the speaker’s own words, which sometimes revert to Spanish, and these are accompanied by English-language translations. Each story is told by a different exile sharing his or her own memory.

The main thread that runs through the book is the chaos and confusion of the communist takeover in Cuba and the subsequent exodus of a significant portion of the island’s population. Also covered are the struggles and sacrifices the exiles made during the early years of arrival in their new countries as well as sometimes humorous recollections of cultural clashes while attempting to adapt.

Lastly, this book is a declaration of unabashed appreciation to the United States, the country that gave so many the opportunity to pursue their destinies in peace and freedom.

PRAISE FOR CUBAN EXILE MEMORIES

“With searing insight, Cuban-American, Talek Nantes powerfully portrays the tragedy of Cuba and the triumph of all those Cubans who, though they fled their homeland, never abandoned the spirit, the sensibility or the passion of their beloved and bedeviled island.” —Anthony DePalma, award winning author, The Cubans: Ordinary Lives in Extraordinary Times. 

*****

“Heart-wrenching. Cuban Exile Memories is a well-written, gripping and tightly crafted collection of vignettes. These personal stories are a window into what Cuba became after Castro stole the revolution. It reveals the chaos and confusion that followed, and the struggles Cubans faced after arriving in the U.S.

Cuban Exile Memories is a celebration of life, and a thank you card full of gratitude to the United States.”  —Daria Rosa Nasca, author, Lights Out: A Cuban Memoir of Betrayal and Survival.  

*****

“In this touching compilation, the author’s short but poignant segments tell myriad memories of escape, separations, disillusion, and fierce hope. The book celebrates Cuban exiles as they remain unsinkable, ebullient, and ferociously positive in their resolve to make their lives in the United States a success.

I am a Cuban exile, and the book sparked a magnetic pull and a deep kinship with the people in these narratives…because they are my story. Those of us who arrived the early 1960s share an unbreakable bond no matter where the winds of change have scattered us across this great land.”   —Miriam Isidro, author, Cuban Exile: A Young Girl’s Story  

*****

“In Cuban Exile Memories, Cuban Americans share their stories of escape from the oppression of Castro’s Cuba to a new life in the United States. We hear their individual voices of hope and fear as they leave their homes and step courageously into a new life.  It is their story, but for many Americans whose stories began with the immigrant experience, it is our story too.  I highly recommend this lovely book.” —Ann Hamer, award winning author of Writing Your Life: The Ultimate Guide to Telling Your Story

*****