Fidel Castro

A Spoken Autobiography

By: Fidel Castro, Ignacio Ramonet

Narrated by: Todd McLaren, Patrick Lawlor

Length: 26 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

For decades, people have tried to persuade the leader of the Cuban Revolution to tell his own life story. Ignacio Ramonet, the celebrated editor in chief of Le Monde diplomatique, has finally succeeded. For the first time, in a series of extensive and probing interviews, Fidel Castro describes his life from the 1950s to the present day. In frank and compelling detail, he discusses his parents and his childhood, his earliest influences, the beginnings of the revolution, his relationship with Che Guevara, the drama of the Bay of Pigs and the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Jimmy Carter years, Cuban migration to the United States, his dealings with successive American presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower to George W. Bush, and his relationship with such controversial leaders as Saddam Hussein and Hugo Chavez.

Along the way, Ramonet challenges Castro to discuss his views on a number of controversial questions, from human rights and freedom of the press to the repression of homosexuality and the survival of the death penalty in Cuba. This book will stand as the definitive record of an extraordinary life lived in turbulent times.

©2006 Ignacio Ramonet (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Enormously fascinating." ( Booklist)
"A book of great importance to anyone interested in contemporary history and current events." ( Kirkus)

A must read

Excellent read of a legend who made significant mark in the pages of world history. In spite he was a head of state from tiny island, his fame and influence spread all over the globe. His remembrance of Cuban revolution and his involvement in his country's day to day affairs really showed, how involved he was in the development of new Cuba. This book dispels the propaganda by the western media about Cuba and Fidel. Thanks for producing an important historic document. I am very glad, I read this book.

Very detailed

It's a true pleasure to have the opportunity to listen to the story of the Revolution through Castro himself. Ignacio Ramonet provided exceptional knowledge and questions in efforts for elaborated answers. A great text to cross reference with dissenting opinions and perceptions of Fidel.

Essential reading for everyone!

Amazing, information packed read. Castro's life covered so much invaluable history. Truly brilliant, educational, & inspirational.

Awesomr complete life story of Fidel

This is a great read. The complete life story of Fidel Castro, It is an information packed book.

Great Content, Terrible Narrator

I really wanted to learn about Castro's history, and I have to say his story (as told to an interviewer) doesn't disappoint! What an adventure this guy's life was, and what a moral and strategic mind he had!

The narrator, however, all but ruins it. I am only halfway through it and I'm still laughing involuntarily at the surprisingly bad ways in which this dollar-store Rod Serling trips over VERY easy Spanish pronunciation. When casting the narrator for this audiobook, did nobody ask, "Should we make sure the guy playing FIDEL CASTRO can pronounce a Spanish word or two?"

The big one I really can't ignore is his continued mispronunciation of the word, "Cubans." He's speaking English, so it should be "kyu-buns". If you're speaking Spanish, you'd say, "koo-bah-nos," (Cubanos), but he does this weird cross-pollination that is neither. He says, "koo-buns." There is no such word as Koobun or Koobuns!

Unfortunately this narrator regularly turns fascinating war stories and anecdotes into unintentional comedy, pronouncing words like "Moncada," as "mahn-cada"; "campesino" as "cump-e-see-no"; "Rafael" as "ruff-fell"; and even pronounced a long ā sound in the word, "organizaciones." C'mon, dude....

Why is it hard to find one person who can capably pronounce ordinary Spanish words, to play the very famous and important Fidel Castro for something as significant as the recording of his autobiography? I don't want to be a jerk but I gotta be honest: The bad vocal performance makes it REALLY difficult to stay in the story, because it keeps snapping you out of it with each (frequent) mispronounced Spanish word.

brilliant story of a brilliant man

Castro was one of the most brilliant men of the 20th century, regardless of the capitalist media lies

refreshing words from the leader himself

ever the self critic and vehement Cuban, it was great to hear the words straight from Castro. many things Americans need to realize and this is just a peek into our misdeeds

Long but worth it

This is one of the books that you should set to read at double speed and it works better. With a 26 hour length, is to long to sit thru at regular speed. Interesting perspective and shows that Castro was a dreamer. He had an idea and pushed it for Cuba. Right or wrong, it was his dream and he has an explanation for everything. I don't doubt that the U. S. tried to thwart many of his ideas for Cuba; however, politics is always like that. Internet has made it worse than it was in Castro's day. I enjoyed the read but have to take the view that Castro has his take on the times and there is always another side to every story.

Amazing Book about an Amazing man

The interviewer does a great job questioning and developing the ideas and history of Fidel and the Cuban Revolution

Not only A Detailed Biography but Lessons in World History.

Fidel was probably the world’s most wrongfully vilified leader.America spent God knows how much on Propaganda and misinformation concerning him and his country.

This is an educative and detailed biography on the only figure in recent memory who not only started and finished a great revolution, but improved the lives of his people through that revolution.

This is a must read.