Canek Sánchez Guevara (1974–2015)

I must admit that I only picked up this short novella (so short that it took me less than two hours to read) because it has been chosen for a group read by the 21st Century Literature group. It is a relentlessly bleak and somewhat repetitive description of life in Castro's Cuba, the description of life being "like a scratched record" is repeated so often it is almost a leitmotif. I can't really claim to have enjoyed this much and can't help wondering whether it would even have been translated had it not been written by a grandson of Che Guevara.… (meer)

Another of the little books that caught my eye on my Wichita book buying excursion at Christmas. This one is a beautiful edition -- French flaps, matte cover, nice design. The author is Cuban-Mexican, and I've been meaning to read more authors from this region. The premise -- life in Communist Cuba is like a scratched record -- every day a repetition, over and over and over.

There are not many revelations here about what life is like under a Communist regime -- intellectualism is discouraged, reporting on the activities of your neighbor is encouraged, you can be stopped by police for any reason at any time and have your life thrown off the rails, rations, government control of media. But there are little observations gleaned, here and there. Details that make this a Cuban story and not a Eurasian Communism story. The 33 revolutions -- 33 short chapters -- is a conceit that also separates this book.

Not earth-shattering, but quietly interesting.… (meer)