Inside Havana is composed of a group of the most staggeringly beautiful and insightful photographs of Havana one could imagine. I loved this book. Andrew Moore has, with sumptuous color and exquisite sensitivity, captured this place which fills so many of us with such nostalgia, longing and frustration. Moore "gets" Havana in its complexity. His photograph of an old man in an undershirt sitting in what must have been the wide second story porch of a sumptuous Hacienda captures the former grandeur the decay and with perfect pitch. Moore doesn't preach but he does he delivers profound insights into the splendor that was and shows us how to see the beauty of this extraordinary place that no amount of squalor can completely hide. His sumptuous images in amazing color have an edge, they can make you feel other's nostalgia and bring you into the life of a people, of their present condition, of where they were, and of where they might be going. Anyone who wants to understand Cuba should buy this book- each picture is worth 1000 words. I went there as a child and I revisited a few years ago and can tell you Moore is as honest as he is artistic. He has an astonishing eye for the telling image, the revealing detail. Even if you are not interested in Cuba buy it- it has some of the most ravishing photographs you will ever see

I'm purchasing this book after seeing it in a gift shop and can't wait to study it further. A photographer myself, I appreciate the work of talented photographers such as Andrew Moore. His choice of subjects and lighting make this book a joy to view. I have referred it to other photographers and I haven't even received my copy yet! Keep up the beautiful work!

I have had the opportunity to travel in Cuba on more than one occasion and am profoundly drawn to the people and the environment. Though I often times feel that photographic books do not adequately capture the essence of "real" places, I have found this book to be descriptive beyond words. The photographs tell a story of collapse and revival -- of time lost -- of hope -- of battle -- of corrosion -- of endurance.... Havana is alluring and repulsive in the same glance. Few photographers can capture such complexity in a single image. This book is amazing.

With the plethora of books currently available on cigars in general and on Habanos in particular, this is (still) the one item no cigar aficionado dare be without.

The only thing that will make this book better is an updated version with the new vitolas now in production. A great referance and a must for serious havana smokers and collectors

I have an extensive collection of cigar books but this is the only one I cannot part with . The author has successfully catalouged Cuban cigars and provided extensive and interesting information not available in other contemporary publications . A must for any serious aficionado.

IF YOU ARE GOING TO BUY A BOOK ON LA HABANA THIS IS IT !!!!!!! IT IS MOST INFORMATIVE AND THE PHOTOS ARE THE BEST. BEING CUBAN I HAVE BOUGHT ALMOST EVERY BOOK WRITTEN ABOUT CUBA AND THIS ONE IS MY FAVORITE - THE BEST.

Unlike other reviewers, I have no link with Cuba and I have never been to Havana, but this book made me want to go there. It was given to me as a present. Since then, I have bought two copies for friends. The photographs are as beautiful as the writing. A really special book.

Truly a unique and memorable book. I own many books on Cuba, but this book is exceptional. As Maria Luisa's book provides us with in-depth historical and architectural background accompanied by impressive photography, she also delights us with her memories of sound, sight, smell and far away world of her childhood which comes alive for all readers, but specially those who lived in the beautiful island of Cuba. It is a treasure for our Cuban heritage and a beautiful addition to anyone's library. A friend, relative and admirer from Miami, Florida

Having never done any cycle touring, speaking very little Spanish and being a middle aged women travelling alone, I thought a few tips and hints and route advice would make my trip a little easier. I found it all and more in "Bicycling Cuba" by Wally and Barbara Smith. Their advice on what to take, where to go, where to stay, and gems to see was unsurpassed.

I had spent three weeks in Cuba previously and had used two guide books. The Smiths' advice, while not replacing a guide book, was the best: succinct, accurate and introduced me to friendly and helpful people. Their three main cycle tours, west, central and eastern Cuba cover the most scenic areas as well as the historic gems of this wonderful country. The route descriptions were accurate, easy to follow and contained good advice about difficulty, water availability, traffic problems and special sites.

The Smiths obviously love Cuba and this comes out in their writing. They include inserts about various social issues, economics and politics -- each fascinating.

I thoroughly recommend "Bicycling Cuba" with no reservations. My only wish is that the Smiths would produce some more books for other countries.

Bicycling Cuba turned out to be invaluable during our three-week trip to the western part of Cuba. The authors really know what they are writing about. Some of the most interesting and rewarding routes suggested in the book were not on the best maps available. The authors way of describing the routes kilometer by kilometer was of great help because very often roads were unmarked. At the intersections we had no problems in choosing the right road. The book also contains a lot of useful information, for example, on accomodation.

We warmly recommend Bicycling Cuba for independent cyclists planning a trip to Cuba.

We loved this book, comparing this book to other bicycling books we've used, this is by far the best, along with Cuba being one of the best places to cycle tour. Unless you want to spend an enormous amount of money on a stifling guided tour, pack light, buy this book, go and enjoy Cuba. This book has everything you need and is a great read on Cuba in addition to the touring information.

This is a superb book! The photos are excellent, showing Cuba as it truly is today, with whatever still stands after four decades of inattention. Anyone who has not seen Cuba in 40 years should pereuse this book. The photographer does not make a political statement of any sort -- he merely records the beauty that is there. One of the few books about Cuba that I would recommend to anyone, regardless of political sympathies.

My boss gave me this book for Christmas. Boy, did he pick the right gift. Engels' architectural photography is breathtaking. Even thought the splendid colonial buildings depicted in this book appear to be falling apart, one can't help but be mesmerized by the ghostly beauty of it all. Through these photos it appears as if Havana has been become frozen in another, more prosperous era, but has never been maintained since. What you take away from the book is a city that is eerily beautiful precisely because it seems as if it is only a skeleton of what once was. If you are, like me, a lover of architecture, these photographs will make you feel terribly sad because so much grandeur is rapidly vanishing. At the same time, there are more than enough traces of splendid architectural details seen in this book, albeit in crumbling pieces, to make any fan of architecture want to see more of Havana. I gained much from this book, especially seeing, with my sometimes too-American eyes, how a very close and small Caribbean neighbor has architecture that at times seems to rival that of European capitals. I highly recommend this book.

This books presents the beautiful and rich architecture found throughout Havana. Through his pictures Engels lets the architecture speak for itself. Beth Dunlop's 5 page introduction is concise and to the point; a great compliment. Great pictures, a treasure collection.

This book grabs you and brings you into a world unknown to most Americans. It is a witty, inciteful and factual look into the world of most Cubans following Castro's rise to power. While the book itself is fictional the events that took place could very well have happened. While it does not have the far-fetched, only in your dreams action of Hollywood, it is highly engaging and still maintains suspense and intrigue ( a refreshing change of pace from the blood and guts of most action/suspense books). Two emphatic thumbs up!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It kept my interest from beginning to end. It seems it contained historical information about Cuba and the dictorship in control of that country. The characters were developed in a very likeable and believeable manner. I highly recommend this fictional novel.

Very entertaining and informative. After I got into the plot I couldn't put it down. Would be a sequence? I know the author and that is amazing, we live in the same town!

This is the first of Buckley's books that I have read and it was a real treat. This book is so good in a variety of ways that I think it deserves five stars. It is a combination of good story-telling, historical information, compelling characters (including those taken from real life), clear writing, and intrigue. These elements are combined smoothly into a very entertaining and easy to read tale. The book starts with the thoughts of President Kennedy and ends with Johnson in the Oval Office. The story provides a fascinating glimpse of Cuba in the 1960's, starring Castro and Guevara. There is plenty of suspense to keep the pages turning, but the pace and tone are very even - not a run of peaks and valleys. Even the dedication and acknowledgements were interesting. It was fun!

Buckley's Blackford Oakes novels seem to remain one of the best-kept secrets around. For the record: These novels are all based on historic events, but, unless Mr. Buckley has even more of an inside track than I believe he does, they weave a wonderfully complex--and witty!-- web of circustances surrounding them. In this novel, we get a two-fer: the Cuban missile crisis *and* the assassination of JFK. Didn't know that they were linked? Read the book to see how they (maybe) were. [This one ought to be included under the Cuban missile crisis heading.]

Without revealing the text of this book all I have to say is that it is brilliant and a very interesting concept. It makes the reader ponder if this could really happen? or is the world particularly the Cubans in exile living this today? I am a strong believer in conspiracies...Makes you wonder...

Visceral images of a unique city, in which splendor and squalor are juxtaposed, and the past is suspended within the present, decaying yet enduring. Robert Polidori has captured the beauty and melancholy of Havana, gazing unflinchingly at the ruins and the people who inhabit them. When the boycott is finally lifted, all this will be swept away by a tide of new development, so try to see it now and use this wonderful book as an introduction and a lasting memento. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)

These photos are breathtakingly spectacular. As soon as I saw this book, I had to buy it. It was the first time I'd ever seen anything that captures exactly what being in Cuba feels like: as if you were witnessing the beautiful ruins of a decaying Roman empire. It's the most spectacular, cinematic misery you could ever experience. And I'm glad that someone like Robert Polidori has captured it so faithfully before it all crumbles to the ground (or gets built over with hideous concrete Spanish hotels).

In these urban landscapes of contemporary Havana, Polidori captures on film the spectacular ruin of a vibrant culture living on faded memories of past opulence. The overwhelming feeling I got from viewing these photographs was that these people deserve so much better than this. This work is visually stunning, but it goes beyond art. It holds up a slice of the Cuban soul for the world to see and weep for.

When I was in Havana (3/2001) I brought a stack of guide books to help me navigate around Cuba (and especially Havana). The top award goes to the prolific author Christopher Baker, who wrote "Havana Handbook" and "Cuba" (both are published by Avalon Travel).

In Havana Handbook Christopher Baker gives you a solid introduction to Havana and Cuba, a good, but basic, general travel information section. His two books have the best accommodations, restaurants and sights-to-see reviews and recommendations available today. He also provides excellent tables & lists of pertinent subjects, good black & white photos, scores of side bar topics that are full of informative caveats, and the beginning of web site and Internet addresses.

The only improvement I can recommend to Avalon Travel and Christopher Baker (are you listening?) would be more, much more, email addresses (especially for the hotels) additional online sources and additional maps (i.e., Baker recommends three great walking tours through Havana and these need maps). However, I have reviewed other Moon Handbooks and the Havana Handbook's maps and scattered inclusions of online resources are a real improvement over other Moon Handbooks.

So, if you are going to visit JUST Havana, and you don't want to cart around Christopher Baker's definitive, 827 page "Cuba" (Highly Recommended - see review), then this 368-page guidebook is very good and reliable choice. BUT, for three dollars more I would buy Christopher Baker's "Cuba". Regardless Christopher Baker has written a tour guide unmatched by any other Cuba guide book. Recommended

I spent a month in Cuba guided by this book. Not only does it have great information for the essential activities like eating and sleeping, but it has an incredible amount of information about the country. If you find yourself without a book to read while traveling, Chris' guide book is great for educational reading material - packed with historical and cultural reading. At first I scoffed at his tendency to flowery writing - "with water as warm as bedtime milk" but after growing accostomed to his style we began to think of Chris as our travel buddy and the other travel books brought by my travel partners were soon buried deep in backpacks - Chris' book was the only one we needed.

I have been all over Cuba, and Baker was an excellent guide. No other book goes into the detail for off the beaten track travel.