Cuba Open from the Inside

Travels in the Forbidden Land

By: Chris Messner

Narrated by: Kevin Haberer

Cuba occupies a place of undisputed fascination in the American psyche. Despite its proximity to America, this island nation remains a mystery to most Americans. Few Americans have traveled to Havana, and still fewer have traveled deeper into this isolated country. Chris Messner, a photographer, is one of the few Americans who have been able to travel extensively throughout this island. In his book, Cuba Open from the Inside, Messner documents the character of Cuba's people, its rich history, and the vast culture of the country. As Cuba's leaders age and the possibility of travel to Cuba increases, this book acts as an exceptional resource for would be travelers. Through multiple journeys, Messner has covered more than 4,000 miles on the back roads of Cuba. Through his words, he provides a snapshot of this island nation and documents the Cuba of today - the 1950s time-capsule country 90 miles from the US coast.

©2011 Chris Messner (P)2015 Chris Messner

Too Colloquial

Many of us dream of writing a book and few of us do; therefore, I applaud the writer for carrying out this effort. That said, I cannot believe this book got past an editor as it is written. While this book contains some description of Cuban life as it was at the time of the author's visit, far too much of the writing is about his banter with his travel companion and his personal feelings.

One item I found a detriment was that the book was written in a very talkative style while following rules for the written word, such as avoiding contractions. When the narrator reads this casually written style, it sounds odd. It would have seemed more natural had contractions been added where one might naturally use them. As it is, the book has an awkward sound.

With an aggressive editor, this could have been a great book. By cutting out much of the banter and expanding on Cuban life and sights, readers could have gotten just enough familiarity with the author to warm to him and gained insight into this mysterious little country. Instead, we are left with an image of potholes and Jeff Dunham one liners. It is not a terrible book, but it was not what I hoped to find either.

Misadventures of Visiting Cuba Now

Would you consider the audio edition of Cuba Open from the Inside to be better than the print version?

.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

It tied up loose ends.

What does Kevin Haberer bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Kevin narrated this story so that it was suspenseful/enjoyable listening.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Having been on various trips to third-world countries, I could sympathize with the author's Customs' hassles and traveling by rented vehicle. I was touched by the friendship between his local amigo, Jésus, and him.

Any additional comments?

The author (photographer) also mused how legal American tourism could either help low-income Cuba or ruin its timeless scenery/culture.

Interesting story but reading voice is terrible.

I liked this book overall, although I found the part about the interrogation at the airport was way too long!
But the man who read the story was terrible. The book is on English but it has a number of names and words in Spanish, which the man pronounces in the most painfully gringo way possible. So painful!
Also, he managed to completely mispronounce clerestory (its pronounced "clear story"). I know it's not the most common word, but it sounds super unprofessional, and as a professional he should really know how to pronounce it. How did nobody catch that?

Great book!

I absolutely loved this book! A great read! The author has a way of writing that lets you feel like you are right in the middle of all the adventure..nervous for him at times,and also laughing at times, as there are a few hilarious parts. I enjoyed reading about the people, the food, and learning so much Cuban history that I didn't remember or never knew. I would definately recommend this book!

A look into many aspects of Cuban lifestyle

I listened to this book in prep for a trip Cuba. The author traveled to many places in Cuba by car. His descriptions of the scenery, landmarks, travel conditions, food and people was wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.