Portraits of Cuba

This vibrant work explores everyday life in contemporary Cuba with photographs by Emmy Award–winning filmmaker and photographer Duncan and insightful essays by University of Arizona professors Vasquez-Leon and Rushbrook. The contributors celebrate the vivacious Cuban culture (“After the triumph of the revolution, the leaders elevated artistic discipline, created an expression into the core values of the new Cuba,” the authors note next to images of musicians playing on the streets and dancers performing in Cuba’s national ballet), as well as the island’s innovations in scientific fields (“Today, Cuba is recognized as one of the world’s leaders in organic agriculture,” the authors write alongside a series of photographs of farmland). Recognizing the distressing effects of the 1960 U.S. embargo, the authors don’t shy from covering Cuba’s poor road infrastructure and product scarcity (“Ration books are taken to the bodega to obtain a wide range of basic necessities,” the caption reads next to a photo of a bodega). While the accessibly written entries are packed with information, some of the images lack captions that would provide readers with additional context. Nevertheless, those interested in Cuban culture, as well as armchair travelers, will find plenty to appreciate. (Sept.)