books on cuba travel

Read Before You Travel: 6 Best Books About Cuba

Travel to Cuba is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before! If you’re looking for some inspiration or background knowledge about Cuba’s complex and fascinating history, culture, and people, I recommend reading books about Cuba (or watching a movie ) before your trip to build a good point of reference.

This ultimate guide to the best books about Cuba will inspire you as you plan, prepare for, and embark on your travel adventure in Cuba! It covers a variety of books about Cuba, from Cuban history and the Cuban Revolution to culture, language, and much more.

This post contains affiliate links that may reward me monetarily or otherwise when you use them to make qualifying purchases – at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please read our  disclosure policy .

Before we dive in, most of these books are available on Audible, Amazon’s online audiobook and podcast platform. Once we discovered just how much is available on Audible and how easy it is to use, we were quick converts to the platform.

Use this link to get a free 30-day trial membership , which includes your first audiobook free, so you can start checking these books off your list!

Best Books About Cuba

The motorcycle diaries.

Diarios de Motocicleta

This book isn’t about Cuba specifically, but it is so inextricably linked to the Cuban Revolution that it’s like a must-read prelude.

The Motorcycle Diaries is composed of the travel diaries of Ernesto “Che” Guevara on a motorcycle trip across Latin America – in them, you’ll see the roots of the philosophy that he carried with him only a short time later as a leader of the Cuban Revolution.

For travelers to Cuba, having read something written by Che before seeing his face and learning his history everywhere you go in Cuba will make your trip that much more meaningful.

This book is one of the all-time best road trip tales, and I found it to be extremely readable. I first read it while on my own road trip through the Southern Bolivian highlands in college, a place also closely linked to Che’s history.  I highly recommend the movie, too.

The Motorcycle Diaries is Available on Amazon

¡Cuba Libre!

Cuba is so much more than the Revolution, but I wanted to include a book about it on this list because as a traveler you’ll hear about it constantly and see its imprints on Cuba.

It’s hard to find a book about the Cuban Revolution makes everyone, on both sides of the political spectrum, perfectly happy. I doubt one can be found anymore, really.

However, Cuba Libre makes my list because of its readability and comprehensiveness for those that are just starting to learn more. It weaves together some fascinating anecdotes of the making of the revolution with the larger history in a really nice way for readers.   

¡Cuba Libre! is Available on Amazon

What to Pack for Cuba

Check out our  Ultimate Cuba Packing List   to help you pack for your trip – we’re sharing exactly what to bring to Cuba and what we never travel without.

Back Channel to Cuba

This is the behind-the-scenes story of secret negotiations between the United States and Cuba that lasted for decades, leading up to President Obama’s December 2014 announcement of a “new approach” to Cuba.

It is extremely illustrative of U.S. policy towards Cuba, and will give you a taste of the way U.S. policy has shaped Cuba’s history in sometimes extreme ways – which you’ll witness firsthand as you travel through Cuba and speak with Cubans.

Back Channel to Cuba is Available on Amazon

La Paloma y La Ley

This beautiful work of photojournalism shares stories of Cuba, but from abroad, where so many Cubans remake their country.

It documents the perilous journey of two Cuban migrants from Guyana – the only country in the Americas that allows Cubans to visit without a visa – through South and Central America to the border of Mexico and the United States. Like those who chose to go by sea, many, many did not make the journey.

While the photos are taken outside of Cuba, they are intimately linked with recent Cuban history. This book will shed light on what you see on your trip, and how migration has become such an important part of Cuban history after the Revolution.

Bonus Tip: Follow the author, Lisette Poole on Instagram at @LisettePoole for a preview of the book and so much more. Her photography and the stories she shares with it are exceptional.

The Dogs of Cuba and The Cats of Cuba

Do I even need to explain why these books are must-reads?!

A collection of photographs and commentary, this pair of books by Emmy Park captures the soul of Cuba through its animals. In reality, these books are just as much a portrait of Cuba as they are of it is of these animals.

They’d also make a great gift for a photography lover, animal lover, or anyone who has traveled to Cuba.

The Dogs of Cuba and The Cats of Cuba are Available on Amazon

The Old Man and the Sea 

You may have read Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea in high school English class, but this book is definitely worth revisiting. It is the classic and enduring story of a Cuban fisherman overcoming loss.

Written in 1952, this book is essential, especially if you have any desire to visit Hemingway’s home, Finca Vigía, or any other spots on the so-called Hemingway Trail while in Cuba. 

The Old Man And The Sea is Available on Amazon

Other Popular Cuba Guides

• Can Americans Travel to Cuba? Legal Cuba Travel from the USA
• How to Get the Cuban Tourist Visa
• Travel Insurance to Cuba: What is Required and How to Get It
• Ultimate Travel Guide to Cuba
• Ultimate Travel Guide to Havana

Carley Rojas Avila

Carley Rojas Avila is a bilingual travel writer, editor, content marketer, and the founder of the digital travel publications Home to Havana and Explorers Away. She is a serial expat and traveler, having visited 40+ countries and counting. Carley has written for publications like Travel + Leisure, MSN, Associated Press, Weather Channel, Wealth of Geeks, and more. Find her front row at a Bad Bunny concert, befriending street cats, and taste-testing every pizza in Havana.

• Search Search Search …
• Search Search …

The Best Books Set in Cuba you Should Read Now

Finding a good book about Cuba not only transports you to the island but opens up a whole new cultural understanding about this island nation.  I love to read books set in where I’m traveling to before the trip – and there is something special also about reading them while you’re there.  Post-trip, reading books about Cuba takes me right back there in a heartbeat.  Putting together a list of books to read about Cuba, is for me, not difficult.  My reading habits go back decades and I’ve always read in the same way – full-on – binge reading on a topic.   Visiting Cuba is an experience unlike any other and reading about it is the same.  And so I’ve put together an eclectic list of books set in Cuba, books by Cuban authors, both classic and contemporary books about Cuba – and because for me it’s not complete without exploring the food – I’ve also included my favorite Cuban cookbooks.  So what are you waiting for?  Head on in and explore the best books set in Cuba!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS. MORE INFORMATION IN  OUR DISCLAIMER

The Best Books About Cuba

You simply cannot put together a list of books set in Cuba and books about Cuba without including Ernest Hemingway, but reading about Cuba shouldn’t be just based on him. So I’ve included some of the best-published Cuban authors as well as other established, but extremely readable authors.    

Cuba Travel Books

Of course, Cuba is covered in most of the major travel books, with small sections, but when it comes to specific books on traveling in Cuba here are your best options.

I’ll start with a book about Cuba that made me laugh out loud. Nod wisely and then laugh again.

This is a travel book with a difference. And I think you’ll like it.

The Underground Cuba Guide by Conga Cuba

This book really had me laughing out loud. It’s funny, it’s real and it’s like no other Cuba travel book you’ve ever read. It’s definitely an alternative, written by someone who has spent a lot of time in Cuba, and who writes wittily, yet clearly.

Conga Cuba gives you the reality of life in Cuba. And it will give you some interesting ways to deal with Cuba. Because you always need a plan. And a backup plan. and a backup to the backup when it comes to Cuba.

I’m finding it hard, now that I’m writing about the book from Conga Cuba, to actually describe it. Accurate. Funny. With lots of tips. It will amuse you. And give you hints on how to deal with Cuba, because when most people travel to Cuba it’s not anything at all as they expected. So give it a go. There’s a money-back guarantee too. So you literally have nothing to lose. Buy the Underground Cuba Guide here.

The Rough Guide to Cuba

A stalwart of the travel guides available for Cuba – the Rough Guide to Cuba contains detailed regional coverage as well as a chapter on contexts, to help you understand Cuba while you travel there.   The time-saving itineraries will help you to work out where it is that you want to go to in Cuba.

Buy the Rough Guide to Cuba here.

The National Geographic Traveler – Cuba

The travel book to Cuba for the discerning experiential traveler.  You’ll find inspiring photography, inside tips, and everything you need for a more authentic experience of Cuba.  You’ll also get historical context and a great deal of cultural interpretation.

Buy the Cuba edition of the National Geographic Traveler here.

Lonely Planet Cuba

There are some tourists and travelers who prefer the Rough Guides and those who prefer the Lonely Planet.  I’m an LP kinda gal.  And so this is my go-to for travel guides to Cuba.  Maps of Cuba, inside tips, and highlights – they’re great to get an overview of what to expect when you land in Cuba.

Buy Lonely Planet Cuba here.

Travel around Cuba and follow the main sites of the Cuban Revolution in our 7 day Cuban Revolution Itinerary

There’s also an increasing range of books about Cuba that are Cuban audio books and these are fabulous.

My Favorite Cuban Audiobooks

Here’s my ultimate Cuban Reading List. I’ll start with the best fictional books about Cuba because I love a good novel.

The Best Fictional Books About Cuba

The one thing that comes through when you’re looking at fictional books set in Cuba is the grittiness of them. The crime genre is strong in the best fiction books about Cuba, but also, too, is realism.

The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway won the Pulitzer Prize for this novel, and it aided his Nobel Prize for Literature too.  But more than those illustrious prizes, this is the quintessential Cuban novel.  Hemingway lived in Cuba for about 20 years and he was a fisherman, so this tale, the Old Man and Sea , of an elderly Cuban fisherman who spends months trying to catch a giant marlin, albeit off the coast of Florida completely captures the spirit of Cuba.

Buy the Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway here.

Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene

Satirical and set in Cuba before the Cuban Missile Crisis – this fabulous novel by English author, Graham Greene makes fun of intelligence services, especially the British MI6.  Our Man in Havana , a black comedy is set in Havana during the Batista regime.  It’s a fabulously entertaining read and was made into a film, set in Havana. This is truly one of the best novels about Cuba and a true classic.

Buy Graham Greene’s “Our Man in Havana” here.

Havana Bay – Martin Cruz Smith

In this, Cruz Smith’s fourth novel featuring investigator Arkady Renko , a decaying Cuba you’ll find gruesome murders, secret society ceremonies, international espionage, and a suicidal main character.  The novel won the 1999 Hammett Prize.  It’s an intricate mystery its descriptive powers will take you right back to Havana in a heartbeat.

Buy Martin Cruz Smith’s Havana Bay here.

Dreaming in Cuban – Christina Garcia

Garcia was born in Havana and raised in New York and this novel set in Cuba tells the tale of three generations of the Del Pino family.  From Celia, the matriarch of the family who loves Cuba and Castro, to her daughter Lourdes, who fled to the USA.   Celia’s younger daughter Felicia brings the Santeria religion into this sweeping Cuban novel.  However, it’s Pilar, Celia’s granddaughter, based in New York, who does most of the “Dreaming in Cuban” in the novel.  The highly charged family reunion – back in Cuba ends with the 1980 Mariel Boatlift .     There’s dreams, idealism, corruption and more than a little magical realism involved in this novel set in Cuba.

Buy Dreaming in Cuban here.

The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, Oscar Hijuelos

Hijuelos was the first Hispanic American to win the Pulitzer Prize.   The Mambo Kings, as the 1990 Pulitzer Prize winner tells of Cuban brothers who move to the USA in the 1940s and pursue love and musical fame, appearing on the TV show, I Love Lucy.  For the exploration of pre-revolutionary Cuba and the Cuban culture of the early and mid-20 th century, there really isn’t anything better than the Mambo Kings and it will truly inspire you.

Buy Oscar Hijuelos’s Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love here.

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba – Chanel Cleeton

New York Times bestselling author Chanel Cleeton’s may be fiction, but it’s inspired by true-life events – the story of Evangelina Cisneros, a legendary Cuban woman who changed the course of history.  When American Publisher William Hearst learns of the light eighteen-year-old Cisneros, he publishes her image on the front page of his newspaper and proclaims her “The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba” .  It soon brings together the cause for American intervention in Cuba.   Cleeton’s family hailed from Cuba and she grew up on stories of the Revolution – and her novels draw on her family’s exodus from Cuba.

Buy Chanel Cleeton’s “the Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba” here.

Non-Fiction Books About Cuba

When it comes to non-fiction about Cuba then your options are split into the following :

• Travel Books about Cuba
• Books about the History of Cuba
• Biographical Books About Cuba

Here’s a short selection of our favourite picks for each of those. I’ll start with the history of Cuba because it is truly fascinating.

Cuba History Books

There’s no shortage of books about the history of Cuba – so we’ve focused on just a few that give you the history of some of her more famous residents and those which give an overall flavor of the history in an easy to read format.

Cuba – A New History – Richard Gott

Gott is a former Guardian Journalist who – amongst other things- was present in Bolivia to identify Che Guevara’s body when he was killed there.  His seriously comprehensive Cuban history spans 500 years – right from the initial Spanish colonisation to today.  This book on the history of Cuba covers the slaughtering of the indigenous population, slavery, racism before leaping into the war of Independence and occupation, however brief, by the Americans in 1898.   Then on to Castro’s 1959 revolution, the Bay of Pigs Invasion in 1961 and how the country survived following the collapse of the USSR, on whom the country relied for so much.  It is a rollercoaster of a ride through Cuba’s history – and if you can read one book on the history of Cuba, then you should make it this one.

Buy Cuba A New History by Richard Gott here.

Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba, by Tom Gjelten

You’ll likely know the Bacardi name from their famous rum.  And this is the story of that empire, which started in Cuba when Facundo Bacardí Massó moved to Cuba in the 9th century.   At that time Rum was one of the least regulated spirits in the world.  Bacardi is headquartered in Bermuda now and this book charts the history of the family’s relationship with Cuba.  It’s also a fascinating understanding of Cuba’s economics.

Buy Tom Gjelten’s “Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba” here.

Voices from Mariel: Oral Histories of the 1980 Cuban Boatlift

From April to September 1980 more than 125,000 refugees fled Cuba, to escape Castro’s dictatorship.  The boats they fled in departed from the port of Mariel across the 90 miles of the Straits of Florida.  This oral history is the story of the immigrants themselves.  It is a sobering read that covers the largest overseas mass migration in Latin American history.

Buy Voices from Mariel here

Biographical Books about Cuba

Often the spirit of a location comes alive with the biographical detail, we’ve collated our favorite books of a biographical nature about Cuba.

Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life, by Jon Lee Anderson

You can’t go to Cuba without understanding at least a little about the Cuban Revolution of 1959.  Born into a rich family in Argentina, Guevara dedicated his life to overcoming oppression and championing revolution to overthrow those doing the oppressing.  He eventually became the second most powerful man in Cuba and while he died pursuing another revolution in Bolivia, Guevara’s legacy remains influential in Cuba to this day.  This is essential reading about Cuba.

Buy Jon Lee Anderson’s “Che Guevara – a Revolutionary Life” here

Trading with the Enemy – Tom Miller

For an account of life in modern Cuba, you won’t find anything better than Miller’s journalistic account .  Miller traveled on his own, with no government minders – he explored Cuba for 8 months, and his entertaining, lively, and often gritty account of his travels through Cuba is a fascinating story of his time here.  Miller convinced personalities and regular people to talk to him about food shortages, jokes, the black market, and everything in between.  It’s a must-read for anyone considering a visit to Cuba.

Buy Tom Millers “Trading with the Enemy” here.

One Day in December: Celia Sánchez and the Cuban Revolution

Sanchez played a pivotal role in the Cuban Revolution of 1959, but little is heard of her. She chose the historic Granma landing site. She fought with rebels. She collected documents that would become the official archives of the revolution. And after the revolution, she did much to enrich the lives of many Cubans – from launching literacy programs to creating parks and helping to develop the Cohiba cigar brand.

Buy One Day in December: Celia Sánchez and the Cuban Revolution

The Best Books by Cuban Authors

Cuba has seen much turmoil throughout its history and there’s no better way to understand the country and how she has adapted than through her native authors.  These authors are rarely heard of outside of Cuban literature, but these works by Cuban authors detail and document the struggles of the Cuban people and explore specific Cuban literary themes.

Jose Marti – Cuban national hero and author

A Cuban national hero because of his role in the liberation of Cuba, Marti was also a Cuban journalist, poet, philosopher and publisher.   Marti wrote a series of poems, essays, letters, lectures, novels, and a children’s magazine.  He is most famous for one of his poems, “Simple Versus” – Versos Sencillos in Spanish which was adapted to the song “ Guantanamera “, which has become the definitive patriotic song of Cuba.

Buy books by Jose Marti, including Versos Sencillos here.

Alejo Carpentier – creator of “Marvelous Real”

The concept of the “Marvelous Real” was defined by Alejo Carpentier as he attempted to understand the character of Latin America’s cultures, societies, nature and histories.   Carpentier was born in Switzerland to Russo-French parents and grew up in Havana.  His most famous work and example of the use of “Marvelous Real” is his 1949 novel, The Kingdom of this World , which covers the Haitian revolution of the late 18 th century.  This book of historical fiction wasn’t translated to English until 1957 and is a masterpiece of Cuban and Afro-Caribbean literature.

Buy Alejo Carpentier’s The Kingdom of this World here.

Guillermo Cabrera Infante

Cabrera Infante was a one time supporter of Castro but went into exile in London in 1965.  His 1966 novel, “Three Sad Tigers” – Tres Tristes Tigres won the 1964 Premio Biblioteca Breve for the best-unpublished novel.  It’s an experimental playful novel that is rich in literary allusions. 

Buy Guillermo Cabrer Infante’s Tres Triste Tigres here.

Reinaldo Arenas

Another opponent of the Castro regime, Arena didn’t actually leave Cuba until the Mariel boatlift of 1980, attempting to communicate his political ideas through a series of novels instead.   He was initially a sympathizer then a critic of Castro and his work draws parallels between his life and the lives of his protagonists.  His autobiography,  Antes que anochezca (Before Night Falls)   is a stark account of his struggles to be a gay writer in Cuba and beyond.

Buy Reinaldo Arenas’ Before Night Falls here.

Daina Chaviano

Cuba’s most prominent contemporary author of science fiction and fantasy was born in 1957 in Havana Cuba and has lived in the USA since 1991.  Chaviano is considered to be in the top three most important female science fiction and fantasy authors in the Spanish language.  While in Cuba she published several fantasy and science fiction genre books and she’s written a series of novels that include historical and contemporary issues long with mythological and fantastic elements.    The Island of Eternal Love has been translated into 26 languages – making it the most translated Cuban novel of all time. 

Buy Daina Chaviano’s The Island of Eternal Love here.

The Best Cuban Cook Books

Along with books, it’s food that transports me to Cuba.  (Read about experiencing Cuba through food here ) And these Cuban cookery books are fabulous at doing that. 

Paladares: Recipes Inspired by the Private Restaurants of Cuba – Anya Von Bremzen and Megan Fawn Schlow

This isn’t just a Cuban Cookbook – it’s a fascinating look into the culture of Cuban food.  Von Bremzen brings the stories of Cuba’s chefs, food historians, farmers and restaurateurs to life.  She writes of the “Special Period” and the years of privation.  In Paladares , She writes too of ex-pats who move to Cuba and open restaurants, all while Schlow documents the journey through stunning photography.   And yet there are also more than 100 recipes in here too which combine the traditions of Cuba with the desire of Cuban chefs to take their culinary culture a huge step forward.

Buy the Paladares Cuban Cookbook here

The Cuban Table – Ana Sofia Palaez & Ellen Silverman

As a Cuban-American food writer, Pelaez combined traditional Cuban cooking from Cuba, Miami, and New York.  In this Cuban cookbook, the Cuban Table, she brings recipes, stories, and culture from home cooks and professional chefs.  There are recipes in this bible of Cuban food for everything from Cuban sandwiches to stews, using African ingredients, Cuban secrets, and lots of cultural nuances.  The photography will make your mouth water. 

Buy the Cuban Table – cookery from Cuba here

100 Classic and Modern Cuban Cocktails – Ravi de Rossi, Jane Danger & All Lapushchik

The best mojito I had in Cuba was in Baracoa – on the seafront, on the dilapidated porch of a tumbledown house, where the locals had gathered for drinks.  And it was where we got talking about life, the universe and everything.  Every single mojito I’ve had since reminds me of that magic moment.  So read about Cuban Cocktails in our guide here and then buy this book – it’s a brilliant overview of how to make 100 classic and modern cocktails from Cuba. 

Buy 100 Classic and Modern Cuban Cocktails here.

ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR EXPLORING CUBA INDEPENDENTLY

These are the resources and booking sites that we use when traveling to Cuba.

Get a Cuba Travel and Medical Insurance Quote from Visitors Coverage here – Alternatively, Civitatis Insurance is a great option for the required insurance for Cuba. You will need a Cuba Tourist Card to enter Cuba – some airlines include these, if yours doesn’t, buy one from EasyTouristCard – now valid for 90 days. Book your Viazul Bus tickets here Pre-book and prepay shared & private shuttles here Book the best FREE Walking Tours in Cuba Reserve attractions, day trips, and activities in Cuba here Get online in Cuba EASILY with a Cuba eSIM – read about Cuba ESIMS here , or buy a Cuba eSIM here .

Download and install a VPN BEFORE you travel to Cuba > discount coupon here Book Accommodation in Cuba’s Casa Particular here

Final Words on the Best Books Set in Cuba

Theirs is nothing better when traveling somewhere than to read about it at the same time.  And no, I’m not talking about the guidebooks.  I’m talking about the fiction that inspired the writers to bring a location to life.  Or a history book that tells you what happened in that place 10, a hundred, or even more years ago.  These books are set in Cuba and books about Cuba bring the island to life and share the culture and vibe of Cuba – enjoy and let me know what your favorite books about Cuba are!

Cuba’s Best is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates .

Sarah Carter

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

One thought on “ The Best Books Set in Cuba you Should Read Now ”

• 1 Comment

Morning! Love everything you write. As a Cuban American who travels to Cuba regularly (every 3 months) I am impressed by the accuracy of your content. Would love to offer you a complimentary stay at our Havana oceanfront Airbnb.

Privacy Overview

• Free shipping on all orders

• North America
• South America
• Middle East
• Australia & Pacific

New Releases

Trending Destinations

Experience Guides

• Outdoor Travels & Adventures
• Epic Guides
• Food & Drink
• Gifts & Inspiration
• Language Guides
• Lonely Planet Kids

Country Guides

Pocket Guides

All Guides & eBooks

• Lonely Planet Insider

Your cart is empty

Get this book for free by becoming a Lonely Planet Insider:

• 3 eBook downloads every year
• Exclusive offers and discounts

$2.99 USD/month (charged annually) Learn more

The eBook is only available in PDF at this time.

Lonely Planet's Cuba is our most comprehensive guide that extensively covers all the country has to offer, with recommendations for both popular and lesser-known experiences. Enjoy the live music scene in Havana, explore historic Habana Vieja, and trek up Pico Turquino; all with your trusted travel companion.

Inside  Lonely Planet's Cuba  Travel Guide:  

Lonely Planet's Top Picks  - a visually inspiring collection of the destination's best experiences and where to have them

Itineraries  help you build the ultimate trip based on your personal needs and interests

Local insights  give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - whether it's history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, politics

Eating and drinking  -  get the most out of your gastronomic experience as we reveal the regional dishes and drinks you have to try

How to Pick a Cuban Cigar

Toolkit  - all of the planning tools for solo travellers, LGBTQIA+ travellers, family travellers and accessible travel

Colour maps  and images throughout

Language  - essential phrases and language tips

Insider tips  to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots

Havana, Artemisa, Mayabeque, Isla de la Juventud, Valle de Vinales and Pinar del Rio Province, Varadero and Matanzas Province, Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, Trinidad and Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Cameguey, Las Tunas, Holguin, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo

ISBN: 9781788688017

Edition: 11th

Publication Date: December 2023

Writers: Lonely Planet

336 pages, 83 maps | Dimensions: 128mm width × 197mm height

Next edition due: December 2025

Best Books to Buy about Cuba

Last Updated on November 19, 2023

What Cuba Travel Books Exist?

There is relatively little written about Cuba and what has been written, has tended to come in the form of tourist books with only the most positive aspects of Cuban life and culture mentioned.

Below I detail the best books I have read and can recommend. Please feel free though to recommend me books on Cuba to review for this page!

1. The Other Side of Paradise by Julia Cooke

This is a wonderful book by Julia Cooke who spent almost a year in Cuba and writes about life in Cuba first but as a non-native.

Julia’s writing style is engaging and shows a real insight into life behind the tourist curtain and how the local Cuban people live.

This is not a purely positive book in terms of how it reflects on Cuba life and the daily life of the everyday Cuban.

But, this book comes across as being an honest attempt at representing the realities of life under the present Cuban government and the difficulties faced.

If you are looking for a book about Cuban culture and the realities away from the tourist areas, then this is a great book.

If you are a tourist looking for travel guide information, then the books below will be much more your cup of tea.

2. Cuba: The Land Of Miracles: A Journey Through Modern Cuba

This is a book I really enjoyed reading and which gives a real in-depth and personal insight into Cuba, from a non-touristic point of view.

Traveling across Cuba in one of the old 1960s cars, which have become so iconic in pictures and photos of Cuba, the author Stephen Smith gives what for me is a quite accurate and fair account of life in Cuba away from the tourist areas.

I loved his story of how he met Fidel.

Overall this is a great book.

If you are more interested in Cuban culture and understanding the way of life for locals, as opposed to knowing where the best beaches, attractions, and tourist joints can be found, then buy this book.

A great read!

3. Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos Eire

This is a book that is quite different from the others listed on this page.

This book by Carlos Eire is really a historical look at Cuba and gives a wonderful insight into how it used to be in the 1950s on this island.

Carlos Eire’s story is a stunning one, which portrays how life changed overnight when Batista overthrew the Cuban government in the 1950s.

The book then goes on to explain about life under Fidel and the second half of the book is a particularly good read and includes a deep look into the difficulties, such as divided families, and the problems many faced in the 1950s and 1960s in Cuba.

4. The Island That Dared: Journeys in Cuba by Dervla Murphy

This is another excellent travelogue style book, this one by Dervla Murphy who travels with her daughter and granddaughters, makes a conscious effort on her travels around Cuba.

They chat with as many locals as possible and to gain an understanding of the feelings of the Cuban people, in particular those who support Fidel.

Any of you who have read any of Dervla’s previous books (such as ‘Eight Feet in the Andes’ or ‘In Ethiopia with a Mule’) will already be aware of the depth of effort she goes into, to understand the cultures in which she travels.

She also has a wonderfully poetic way of expressing and representing the places and the people she meets.

This book on Cuba by Dervla is another one of her classics!

5. Lonely Planet Cuba

Heading now into tourist and travel guides territory, I find that the Lonely Planet Guides are probably the best series of books on the market and I used the Cuba guide last year as I travelled the length and breadth of Cuba.

The book was as accurate as one could expect given that accommodation, transportation and other travel facilities do change.

I used to love the ‘Let’s Go’ books twenty years ago when I first started traveling (I think they were created by Hardvard).

These days though, I think the ‘Lonely Planet’ has nailed the market, and this Cuba one I think reflected the country very well.

6. The Rough Guide to Cuba

This is a very close match with Lonely Planet in that I find this book (and the series) to be solid.

Well written, the information normally as up-to-date as is realistic (as long as you buy the latest version of course) and insightful and overall the book itself can save you the book’s own cost overnight, with the tips on where to stay.

Maps, some brief information on the history, attractions, accommodation , bars , how to get there and a lot more.

Just like with any travel guide, make sure to buy the latest version because the travel information can become out of date, as any of you who has tried to use the Cuban train (rail) system in the last year will be aware.

Routes in Cuba can easily get closed down or new services created.

Things are changing fast here in Cuba, so be warned. Overall though the Lonely Planet or the Rough Guide are both great options for travelling Cuba.

7. Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba: The Biography of a Cause

And back to a good read rather than a travel guide.

This book is a fascinating story that highlights the real-life experiences of the Bacardi family and their tumultuous relationship and experiences with the Cuban government and the rise of their drinks empire.

One hundred and fifty years after starting and as an independent company, Bacardi is still going strong and this is a wonderful example of freedom and an alternative and unique story from within Cuba.

During times when organized crime controlled parts of Havana and with the threat of interference from the Spanish and Cuban governments, the Bacardi company story, which is re-told with the help of some family members, is unlike any other business story you are likely to read.

Related Posts

Best Hotels in the Malecón Area

Our 21 Day Trip from Varadero to Havana, Cuba

Cuba International Tourism Fair

30 Fantastic Books About Cuba (Across Genres)

Whether you are an armchair traveler, planning a visit, or simply curious, we’ve got you covered with these 30 fantastic books about Cuba.

Cuba is having a moment. It has a warm Caribbean location, an evolving but still Communist economy and a fraught relationship with the United States. Cuba is an odd combination of great beach destination and global oddity that makes people curious to learn more about its history and culture.

While Havana is well known for being a favorite haunt of Earnest Hemmingway but he’s not the only writer who lived there, or was inspired to write about it. So, we’ve curated the following list of Cuban books to cover literary fiction, fantasy, thrillers and non-fiction, all featuring the people of Cuba and the island itself as a major character in its own drama.

Classic Cuban Literature

The Old Man and the Sea , Earnest Hemmingway

“Papa” Hemmingway loved Cuba. He lived there for twenty years and wrote some of his most famous books there. This book about an aging Cuban fisherman’s epic battle with a marlin helped Hemmingway cinch the Nobel Prize.

The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love , Oscar Hijuelos

This is my favorite piece of Cuban literature. You can hear the mambo music in your head as you read this Pulitzer prize winning tale of two brother/musicians make their way out of Havana and into the New York’s music scene during the pre-revolutionary 1940’s.

Our Man in Havana , Graham Greene

All Wormhold wants is to buy his daughter a pony. But this simple vacuum salesman finds himself recruited as an unlikely cog in the cold war spy game. The results are absurd, comical and tragic.

Novels About Cuba

Distant Marvels , Chantel Acevedo

In 1963, as hurricane Flora bears down on Cuba, elderly Maria Sirena is forced into shelter with a motley crew of other reluctant women. They wait out the dangerous hurricane while Maria tells the story of her family’s involvement in the third war of Cuban independence.

Dreaming in Cuban , Christina Garcia

This story follows a sprawling family’s diaspora from the revolution into the ’80’s. From Amazon, “…Cristina García’s acclaimed book is the haunting, bittersweet story of a family experiencing a country’s revolution and the revelations that follow”.

The novel is suffused with idealism, corruption and magical realism.

Telex from Cuba , Rachel Kushner

From Amazon, “…an astonishingly wise, ambitious, and riveting novel set in the American community in Cuba during the years leading up to Castro’s revolution—a place that was a paradise for a time and for a few. The first novel to tell the story of the Americans who were driven out in 1958, this is a masterful debut with a unique and necessary lens into US-Cuba relations”.

My Lost Cuba , Celso Gonzalez-Falla

This family drama is set in the precise moment in history just before the fall of Batista’s dictatorship to the Cuban revolution. These colorful characters are experiencing Cuba during it’s most profound moment of transition.

The Last Honest Man in Havana , Melanie Furlong-Riesgo

Rafael Áviles, an engineer at the Cuban Mint in Havana. He’s a young, earnest Communist Party member living with his ambitious wife, Elena. But when he is drafted into fighting the war in Angola, he begins to question his communist ideals.

Next Year in Havana , Chanel Cleeton

This pic from Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club features Cuban-American Merisol, who travels to Cuba following her grandmother’s death. Her grandmother’s history involves a clandestine affair during the revolutionary period. While in Cuba, Merisol attempts to reconcile her grandmother’s stories with a modern Cuba as she finds romance of her own.

Read it for book club and use our discussion guide for Havana . If you like Reese’s picks, we have a whole series of book club guides for Reese’s book club .

When We Left Cuba , Chanel Cleeton

The events in this Cuban book were inspired by the tumultuous Cuban-American relations in the 1960’s. Beatriz and her family lost it all during the Revolution and they were forced to flee to the US. So, when the CIA comes a-calling, she takes the bait, becomes a spy, and finds herself back in Cuba during the chilliest part of the Cold War.

The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba , Chanel Cleeton

In this Cuban novel, Cleeton goes back to the Gilded Age of 1896 and during the time of Cuba’s revolutionary independence from Spain. Evangelina Cisneros (an actual historical figure), is imprisoned by the Spanish on accusations of insurrection. She becomes a cause célèbre and is dubbed “the most beautiful girl in Cuba” in a bid to bring awareness to war, and her plight.

It was also a bid by William Randolph Hearst to sell newspapers and he sends a couple of female reporters to drum up the story.

Of Women and Salt , Gabriela Garcia

This is a multigenerational story of mothers and daughters spanning from 1866 Cuba to 2019 Miami. The lead character, Jeanette is just getting a handle on her addictions. She has a fraught relationship with her Mother, who is a Cuban immigrant. Jeanette ultimately travels to Cuba to visit her grandmother and learn more about their family’s past.

The book deals with themes of immigration, deportation, systemic abuse and patriarchy.

The Tower of the Antilles , Achy Obejas

This short story collection features stories of identity, selfhood and conflict set against Cuba’s culture. ”The Cubans in Achy Obejas’s story collection The Tower of the Antilles are haunted by an island: the island they fled, the island they’ve created, the island they were taken to or forced from, the island they long for, the island they return to, and the island that can never be home again.”

Dirty Havana Trilogy , Pedro Juan Gutierrez

(Natasha Wimmer, Translator)

This gritty book set in Cuba explores the misadventure of Pedro Juan in a squalid post-Soviet Havana. “… The Havana he talks about is not the one described in travel brochures; it’s a bleak world, a blend of Bukowski, Miller, and Kafka.”

Cuban Genre Fiction: Thrillers, Spec Fic and Romance

Sins of the Flesh , Caridad Piñeiro

A steamy romance featuring a mercenary tracking down a woman whose gene therapy has given her paranormal powers. “… a nice dose of chilling suspense and exciting action with an intriguing sci-fi element and paranormal edge.” And if you like the first one, there is a second in the series.

The Price of Paradise , Susana López Rubio

(Achy Obejas, Translator)

Young Patricio finds romance in Havana after fleeing Spain in 1947. His works at the elegant El Encanto department store, which puts him in proximity to Cuba’s power elite (including the mob). He falls in love with a mobster’s wife, Gloria and the books follows their reckless affair over fifty years.

A Planet for Rent , Yoss

(David Frye, Translator)

This book is not so much set in Cuba as it is a metaphor for the Cuban condition. Xenoids have invaded planet Earth, and people are looking to flee the economically and socially bankrupt remains of human civilization. It’s an allegory for the current state of affairs in Cuba. If that sounds good, you can also check out her space opera, Super Extra Grande.

The Island of Eternal Love , Daína Chaviano

(Andrea G. Labinger, Translator)

Romance, clashing cultures and bloodshed follow the multi-generational story of Amalia’s family in Cuba. Expect some supernatural happenings, fairies and clairvoyance thrown in for good measure.

Havana Bay , Martin Cruz Smith

Moscow detective Arkady is sent to Havana to identify his missing friend (and spy) Pribluda. His efforts to investigate are thwarted by his own diffidence, and a Cuban culture that is angry and reeling from the withdrawal of Russia as an economic benefactor.

Cuba Libre , Elmore Leonard

This book has gun runners, a train heist, yellow fever and a love story all stitched into ripping yarn that reads like a classic western set during the Spanish-American War-torn Havana in 1898.

Non-Fiction Books About Cuba

Thirteen Days : A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis, John F Kennedy

JFK’s own memoir on the thirteen days of the Cuban missile crisis is one of the best books on Cuba. It illuminates our most tense moment with them during the Cold War.

Che Guevara : A Revolutionary Life, Jon Lee Anderson

This best-seller is considered the authoritative source on Che Guevara. In this meticulously researched book, Anderson was able to source documents from Guevara’s widow and interview his comrades and detractors.

This is Cuba , David Ariosto

Ariosto is a photo journalist who spent two years in Cuba on assignment. While there, he discovered cold war hangovers and the subtle absurdities that drive everyday life in Cuba. “Ariosto offers a penetrating report of a nation struggling with serious challenges.”

Havana Nocturne : How the Mob Owned Cuba and Then Lost It to the Revolution, T.J. English

From Amazon, “…a multifaceted true tale of organized crime, political corruption, roaring nightlife, revolution & international conflict that interweaves the dual stories of the Mob in Havana & the event that would overshadow it, the Cuban Revolution”.

Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba , Tom Gjelten

A historical narrative on the Bacardi family, their business and their participation in Cuban life. This thoroughly researched book reads like fiction, offering a look at the events leading to the revolution and the events that caused people (including the Bacardis) to flee Cuba.

Havana: A Subtropical Delirium , Mark Kurlansky

Kurlansky’s Cuban history book explores Havana’s culture by looking at the city’s singular music, literature and culinary scenes. His “bibliographical sketch” roots around in the culture and struggles of the local Habaneros with factoids, stories and a dose of humor.

“If I were ever to make an old-fashioned film noir—with a cynical plot full of intrigue, violence, and sudden twists, filmed on dark and menacing streets in misty black and white—I would shoot it in Havana.” – Kurlansky

Kurlansky has also written a great book on the Basque culture, which we have featured in our list of books about Spain .

Cuban Memoirs & Travelogues

Trading with the Enemy , Tom Miller

Tom Miller’s account of his sojourn for more than eight months traveling through Cuba explores the impact of the embargo on the Cuban people. ”Miller provides a running commentary on Cuba’s food shortages, exotic sensuality, and baseball addiction as he follows the scents of Graham Greene, José Marti, Ernest Hemingway, and the Mambo Kings”

Before Night Falls , Reinaldo Arenas

(Dolores M. Koch, Translator)

Arenas recounts his journey from a poverty-stricken childhood in rural Cuba to becoming a young rebel fighting for Castro. Arenas was a revolutionary freedom fighter, but in this memoir he “…breaks through the code of secrecy and silence that protects the privileged in a state where homosexuality is a political crime”.

The Red Umbrella , Christina Gonzalez

Operation Pedro Pan started in 1960 and it facilitated the mass exodus of over 14,000 unaccompanied minors from Cuba to the US. In 1961, 14 year old Lucia Alverez and her brother were sent from their sleepy Cuban town to the US as part of operation Pedro Pan. This touching Cuban memoir tells the story of the family experience in post-revolution Cuba and her life after settling in Nebraska.

The Other Side of Paradise : Life in the New Cuba , Julia Cooke

Castro’s death and evolving US policy have put Cuba on the brink of a era. Revolutionary burn-out and a depressed economy have taken a toll on Cuban culture.

Have a listen on Audible. Try audio books for free for 30 days.

Travel Resources for Cuba

If you are interested in visiting Cuba, check out the following articles on how to prep a trip to Cuba:

• Prepare for your Cuba trip with this packing and preparation guide .
• Check out the the cool art scene in Havana.
• And pack your itinerary with this list of top things to do in Cuba .

Do More Literary Travel

You can have more armchair travel with our book lists set around the world . Try these books set in Jordan , Australia , Paris , Sri Lanka , Scotland , Iceland , Colombia , and in Spain . And we have a whole series for the Emerald Isle: Irish mysteries and thrillers, fiction set in the Republic of Ireland , and fiction set in Northern Ireland .

Share these books about Cuba with your friends:

Share on Social Media

Meet our Writers :

Buy new: $22.95 $22.95 FREE delivery: April 9 - 12 Ships from: BOOKS FROM CA Sold by: BOOKS FROM CA

Buy used: $7.37.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime.

If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Learn more about the program.

Other Sellers on Amazon

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the authors

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Cuba Paperback – October 6, 2015

Purchase options and add-ons.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Cuba is your in-depth guide to the very best of this island nation. With its unique history, pristine beaches, vintage cars, and strong cultural traditions of music and salsa, Cuba is an endlessly fascinating place. Delve beneath its dazzling surface to experience Cuba's extensive arts scene and bold architecture, escape to the beautiful mountain ranges of the countryside, or enjoy an exceptional meal in its backstreets.

Discover DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Cuba :

With hundreds of full-color photographs, hand-drawn illustrations, and custom maps that illuminate every page, DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Cuba truly shows you this island nation as no one else can.

Recommend: For an in-depth guidebook to the Caribbean, check out DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Caribbean , which offers a complete overview of the island destinations in the region; thousands of photographs, illustrations, and maps; and more.

• Print length 328 pages
• Language English
• Publisher DK Eyewitness Travel
• Publication date October 6, 2015
• Dimensions 5.19 x 0.69 x 8.75 inches
• ISBN-10 1465427104
• ISBN-13 978-1465427106
• See all details

Frequently bought together

Customers who viewed this item also viewed

Editorial Reviews

"Known… for its four-color maps, photos and illustrations, the [DK] Eyewitness Guides are extremely user-friendly for travelers who want their information delivered in a concise, visual way." – Chicago Tribune

"The best option… Color photos, maps, and diagrams bring the place to life." – The Philadelphia Inquirer

About the Author

About DK Eyewitness Travel Guides : For more than two decades, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides have helped travelers experience the world through the history, art, architecture, and culture of their destinations. Expert travel writers and researchers provide independent editorial advice, recommendations, and reviews. With guidebooks to hundreds of places around the globe available in print and digital formats, DK Eyewitness Travel Guides show travelers how they can discover more.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guides : the most maps, photography, and illustrations of any guide.

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ DK Eyewitness Travel; Revised edition (October 6, 2015)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 328 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1465427104
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1465427106
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.19 x 0.69 x 8.75 inches
• #276 in General Cuba Travel Guides
• #1,215 in General Caribbean Travel Guides
• #7,114 in Tourist Destinations & Museums Guides

About the authors

Dk eyewitness.

Explore the world with DK Eyewitness travel books. Our award-winning travel guides are compiled by real travellers and globe-trotting experts who provide trusted advice to over 200 global destinations. Brimming with stunning photography, detailed maps, sage advice and top tips; our highly visual guides contain everything needed for the trip of your dreams.

DK Eyewitness travel will help you live ‘Like a Local’ in new and exciting cities, or visit those ‘Top 10’ essentials, or plan that epic road trip. Whether it's a holiday of a lifetime, exploring a new continent or a city break, step into your next adventure with DK Eyewitness travel books.

Winner, Gold Award, Top Guidebook at the 2020 Wanderlust Magazine Reader Travel Awards.

Winner of the Travel Media Awards 2019 Guide of the Year for DK Eyewitness New York City.

Carole French

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Reviews with images

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Start Selling with Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Best Sellers in Cuba Travel Guides

• ← Previous Page
• Next page →

• Amazon and Our Planet
• Investor Relations
• Press Releases
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Become an Affiliate
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Sell on Amazon Handmade
• Advertise Your Products
• Independently Publish with Us
• Host an Amazon Hub
• Amazon.ca Rewards Mastercard
• Shop with Points
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Amazon Cash
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns Are Easy
• Manage your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Customer Service
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Interest-Based Ads
• Amazon.com.ca ULC | 40 King Street W 47th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5H 3Y2 |1-877-586-3230