Cuba: An American HistoryCuba: An American History
What it's about
Ada Ferrer, a Cuban-born historian, tells the story of Cuba from before Columbus to the present, focusing on its long, entangled relationship with the United States: slavery and sugar, wars of independence, American occupation, the Mafia era, Fidel Castro's revolution, the Cold War and the exodus to Miami.
Why it's worth reading
It won the Pulitzer Prize for history. It's a sweeping, balanced and readable history.
You'll love it if you liked
Embers of War
The End of the Myth
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of LoveGood to know
It's long but well organized.
By the numbers
- Readers95 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics63 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller2 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz26 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #35 of the 198 history books we rank
- #35 of the 481 new books we rank
- #206 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is Cuba: An American History worth reading?
Yes. It won the Pulitzer Prize for history. It ranks #206 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Cuba: An American History about?
Ada Ferrer, a Cuban-born historian, tells the story of Cuba from before Columbus to the present, focusing on its long, entangled relationship with the United States: slavery and sugar, wars of independence, American occupation, the Mafia era, Fidel Castro's revolution, the Cold War and the exodus to Miami.
How long does it take to read Cuba: An American History?
About 14 hours (560 pages), or about 4 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has Cuba: An American History won?
Pulitzer Prize (History) winner (2022).
What should I read after Cuba: An American History?
If you liked it, try Embers of War by Fredrik Logevall, The End of the Myth by Greg Grandin or The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos.