The author purports to update the previous (third) edition of his book. However, there are numerous places (see pp. 81, 176, 186, 193, and 197) in the book that suggest that there was no update other than Chapters 15-17 which are actually in a different type from the rest of the book. For example, the book stills discusses the Soviet Union in the present tense. With respect to the content of the book, the author spends all of 10 pages, 12 pages if one includes the map of Cuba, discussing the indigenous people of Cuba. The discussion of Castro's rule is tedious. The analysis of the future of Cuba after Castro is obvious and superficial. Save your money.

I found myself reading much of this book as I would a novel. I was interested in it primarily due to my own ties to Cuba, however, the style and in-sight into the history and mind set of the Cuban people is truly intriguing. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the earliest Cubans and the other indigenous people in the Carribean.

THIS IS THE BEST AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND WORK ABOUT CUBA RECENT HISTORY BASED IN THE ORIGINS OF CUBAS PEOPLE AND A MUST TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HISTORY DESERVES

A biography worth to read with Frei Beto: Fidel & the religion

This is a wonderfully written account of the Guerrilla expedition that brought Castro to power. It is an objective view of this amazing man. As the reader, you are given the opportunity to draw your own views about Castro and his idealogical formation. This is a must read for anyone interested in Cuba, its revolution, and Castro.

As a critical political science student, I wanted to know what was all the hype about Castro. Yes, he is a communist, but is that all that makes him a "boogeyman" (if communism ever makes a person a boogeyman!). After reading many biographies of the "bearded one", Tad's book is the only one that permeates objectivity. In many parts, he criticizes Fidel for his faults but praises many of his superior societal reforms (such as the healthcare and education successes). The U.S. has got a lot to learn from his social reforms...and Castro needs to learn to democratize a little more.

If you want anti-castro/exile community propaganda, go somewhere else. But if you want the truth, read this book. Highly recommended!

This is now listed here as the hardcover "Spiderman" coming out in July.

Actually this book will be published by a different publisher in 2001. Check DeCandido.Net for details.

From www.DeCandido.Net

Spider-Man: The Gathering of the Sinister Six by Adam-Troy Castro Quite simply, the best Spider-Man novel ever written. Adam wrote "The Stalking of John Doe" in Untold Tales of Spider-Man, which is one of the ten best Spidey stories ever, and he doesn't disappoint with his first novel-length tale, which is the best use of Mysterio I've ever seen (certainly better than Kevin Smith's overrated twaddle in the Daredevil comic). Adam does right what every Spidey comic lately has done wrong. The rest of this trilogy will be published in 2001 by BP Books, and you should definitely keep an eye out for it. I can't recommend this book strongly enough.

This book gives you a chance to hear Fidel Castro as he rejects the "new thinking" in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. In four 1988-89 speeches he champions Cuba's socialist revolution and critiques the failures of the bureaucratic regimes in the USSR and Eastern Europe.

He also reviews how these countries' examples had introduced weaknesses in Cuba's system and announces a campaign to correct these errors and reassert the principles of socialism. This collection gives you insight, not only into Cuba, but also into capitalism and socialism in general.

These are four speeches by Cuban leader Fidel Castro, given to mass rallies and meetings in 1989. Castro gives a reasoned, factual defense of socialism as the way forward for humanity with a rich analysis of some of the sharpest conflicts in the world at that time, from the economic and social crisis in Third World countries to the U.S. war against Nicaragua and El Salvador. Especially interesting is the detailed account of the South African invasion of Angola, Cuba's response of sending tens of thousands of volunteers to fight along with the Angolans, and of the death-blow dealt to apartheid in the battle at Cuito Cuanavale.

Castro also explains some of the early history of the Cuban revolution, such as how workers and peasants, led by the Rebel Army, actually took power in 1959. He takes up some of the big questions posed to anyone interested in building a new society, based on efforts the Cubans were then making to overcome bureaucratism, corruption and inefficiency. What is the relation between the individual and society, material wages versus moral and political consciousness, the use of technology and its impact on workers lives?

Don't miss this one!

Even the US government admits that Cuba has survived the "special period," the disaster brought about by the collapse of the Soviet Union and the other Stalinist governments at the hands of their own working people. Castro made these speeches at the start of the special period, speaking from the strength of Cuba's victories in Africa against South African Apartheid imperialism, from its successful defeat of those who took the bribes of Washington and the drug Cartel. These speeches show the confidence of Fidel and the Cuban revoloutionists in working people in Cuba and around the world. Though they are 11 and 12 years old as I write, when you read these speeches you will understand why they speak to the socialist future of working people, not to the past.

Mr. Montaner belongs to the "innocent" generation, that is to say, those of us who were born too late to contribute to the catastrophe of 1952 and too early to join the Anti-Batista fight.
In this little jewel of a book, the author shows tremendous maturity in keeping it fair, not allowing himself to sin on the side of fanatical anti-Castro bias. Indeed, this is a remarkable unbiased account of the so called Castro's Revolution, as well as a good synopsis of Cuban history from the XIXth century to our days.
Well researched (except on the African adventure of the Cuban dictator) well written and generally fun to read, this book is a must to all those that have an interest in the Cuban phenomenon and totalitarian regimes in general.

This is a fine book, only suffering from one major defect: the author is unable to say - or, at least, ignores the question... - when Fidel became a communist. About this point, I should recommend the reading of Nathaniel Weyl's classic "Red Star Over Cuba": in 1948, during the "Bogotazo" evenments in Colombia, considering the documents apprehended by the colombian police, Castro already was a "komintern" agent, a fact that also contradicts Montaner's assertion that USSR had not any role in the process that led to the overthrown of Batista's regime. Really, the main revolutionaries like Castro brothers - Fidel and Raul - and "Che" Guevara were all convinced communists controled by the afore mentioned country.

Despite this defect, the book is really good and clearly shows the disastrous effects of communist dictatorship, exercised in the purest stalinist way, over Cuba.

Carlos Alberto Montaner completely debunks the immense ammount of propagandistic lies spread by the cuban regime, proving that:

1º) The economical collapse actually suffered by Cuba is totally owed to the failure of the ortodox marxist central planning economics followed by the cuban communist party, giving no place to free enterprise and private property; not to the so-called american blockade, far away from that;

2º) Health care in Cuba, excluding hospitals to party's nomenklaturists and foreigners, has the worst quality possible: the lack of common medicaments is generalized and many hospitals, even, have not sheets to put on their patients' beds...;

3º) Education is completely submited to a strict ideological rigidity, not fulfiling the main target of any educational system: learn to think;

4º) Cuba currently has the lowest quality of life in the entire american continent, after Haiti and Nicaragua; in 1959, it was one of the three most developed latin american countries...

Read also Carlos Alberto Montaner's "Guide To The Perfect Latin American Idiot" and Armando Valladares's impressive "Against All Hope".

Carlos Alberto Montaner re-explores the history of Cuba in the last half century, with particular attention on the present period. He does this filled with his own feelings as a Cuban exile, yet he does not become subjective, and offers views and opinions without imposing them. The book is filled with passion, with anecdotes, with feelings, and is guaranteed to be of immense interest to anyone studying Cuba or just interested in Cuba. Indeed, it is one of those books that are at the same time a pseudo-academic or journalistic study, but also a novel-style book (a novel which, in the case of Cuba, is sadly true).

Navegar en el "Gloria", un velero moderno para recorrer el mismo camino que recorrieran Colón y su tripulación en su primer viaje, permite que el periodista e investigaodr colombiano German Castro Caicedo, comience a ver legua tras legua la verdadera historia destrás del descubrimiento de América. El lenguaje de Castro Caicedo curtido por años de experiencia periodística en su Colombia, permite al lector visualizar con mayor detenimiento la violación de la que fue víctima todo un continente, el más absurdo y absoluto crimen que en la historia de la humanidad se haya cometido. Creo que es un libro que bien merece traducirse y asi dar a otros, en otras latitudes, un acercamiento mas certero al pasado americano.

This is a wonderful book that not only captures your imagination but your heart. It makes you feel for the indigenous peoples of The Americas and the turtures that they underwent by hands of the conquistadores. It is a must read book that opens our mind.

A handy and indepth guide to the history and economy of the Caribbean from 1492 to 1960s. He provides ample numerical data to illustrate the period. There is also, an extensive bibliography and a fine index.

I can not put into words what this journal of the truth has done for me as a African-American Male living in the United States of America. I was introduced to this book by a man of Guyanese decent who knew I needed to read this book. I have to admit it was a difficult read because my primary education only spoke of American History and there was no mentioning of any African-Caribbean contributors from the "Middle Passage" period. Now, at thirty-nine many things are clearer to me. "Roots" and "Beloved" are historic, well-documented treasures and need to be used in educating all children no matter race, creed or color. To make sure what I read had some semblance of truth while in Puerto Rico I visited a sugar mill in Guanica and my heart just melted. If you read the book you will understand my feelings. I became angry because something as simple as not being forthwith with documented history such as this to young minds of American children lead to misunderstandings amongst the masses hailing from Africa, South America, The Caribbean, Asia, United States and Europe. Eric Williams I know I can not thank you in person because you are no longer here physically but your spirit lives on in your books and you will always be alive everytime one more person reads your book and awaken "Thank You"! For everyone else read the book it will cleanse your soul and feed your mind. Once you finish this read "How Europe Underdeveloped Africa" by the same author.

New York State Parks does a great job of providing detailed information about individual campsites in various regions of NYS. I especially liked the detailed description of facilities and attractions nad their proximity to the campsite.

The description of individual cabins and here settings were of particular interest to me. As a new camper, I found this book very user friendly.

Before visiting New York to camp, hike, fish, boat, bike, or enjoy wildlife in one of their many state parks, pick up a copy of Bill Bailey's very detailed New York State Parks.

I am a very avid camper and hiker, and I travel all about New England, New York, PA, and VA to camp. Before doing this howerever, I always consult Bailey's book (if he has one for that state) to find the park with the shadiest and most private campsite and the steepest trails. His detail about the individual campsites are very valuable to me. He also includes detailed descriptions about the park trails, but he does a better job about that in most of his other books. I also find his maps and the charts at the end of each region very helpful.

The only real downfalls in my opinion is that his photographs arent very good, and he dosent go into detail about every park in the NYS park system, but oh well. The information he provides I find to be very valuable. Buy this book; I guarntee you'll find a park that suits you!

As one of the children that are the subject of this book, I had high expectations of "Fleeing Castro". I feel my microscopic impressions are valid nonetheless.

Mr. Triay began the book as a doctorate thesis study, and in my opinion, should have ended the book in the same manner. The many facts and time table of events were very useful in making sense of my traumatic separation from my parents at an early age. Where Mr. Triay "lost it" for me was in trying to explain away the economic realities of a federally funded deep-pockets program that led to excesses, inequities and plain old greed, setting up the "have/have-nots" situations that evoked the very environment we were all supposedly fleeing from. Mr. Triay would have received a 5-star review from me if he hadn't engaged in "probably because" explanations without sufficient empirical evidence.

Imagine an American foster care facility in the 1960's trying to make a living through times of war and beginning inflation and unemployment, with forgotten children of their own (Native Americans, Blacks, Mexicans) being suddenly infused with thousands and thousands of dollars from the Federal Government so they could take care of "spoiled" children, as Mr. Triay self-efacedly and repeatedly calls us. Many of these caretakers held the limelight and the attention they had begged for and never received before solely because we were "special" children. If that isn't a setup for jealousy, inequities and greed to flourish then I don't know what IS.

Near the end of the book Mr. Triay swiftly dismisses all the children who were "poorly placed", which by MY calculations are in the hundreds, as being few, and most of them having come from "dysfunctional" Cuban families in the first place. This is an insult to the intelligence of those of us who know better. The end does NOT justify the means in this or any other case, and the fact that most of us are strong, successful and well-adjusted adults speaks more to the fact that instead of "spoiled" we were actually well-educated, very much loved children, and also speak to the strong Cuban and religious values we received in our homeland. Father Walsh will be one of my heroes to the day I die.

I thank Mr. Triay for generating the starting point in a dialogue that must continue, as he himself says at the end of the book. I guess that's OUR doctorate thesis.

Teresa Touron Bailey

The reason Alina Lopez-Marin thought that some of the chapters from Dr Triay's book reminded her of Yvonne Conde's book, is because Dr Triay's wrote his book first, a year earlier. The "untold story" Conde's title is completely misleading the public, the story was first told by Dr. Victor Triay. Shameful sales tactic!

Operation Pedro Pan Group, Inc, the official charitable organization formed by the now adult children of Pedro Pan is grateful to Dr. Victor Tryai for writting the first complete and comprehensive historical book about the exodus of the cuban children, "Operation Pedro Pan". His well documented research earned the respect of Monsignor Byan O.Walsh who personally invited Dr. Tryai to be a guest speaker at our 40th Anniversary Convocation at Barry University. Some of the comments made on the prior review regarding the findings from the Children's Bureau seem out of line. Admiration and respect is what Dr. Tryai has always shown for the participants of Operation Pedro Pan. He is indeed a great writter and a man of integrity.

I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining this book actually is! While somewhat put off by the rather cheesy cover-art, I took a chance and was well rewarded.

This book has excellent character development, well-written and interesting battle-scenes and everyone's very much "in character". Gustav Fiers is a villain of such moral emptiness, so vilely unlikable and so hateful that regular Spidey villains such as Dr. Octopus and Electro almost come off as the guys next door by comparison. The books' main flaw was that after all was said and done, an ending of such unbelievable tackiness and cheesiness was pasted on as to almost defy rationality. It's really bad, folks. Really, really BAD.

That said, I hope we see more about the Spider-Man mythos from this author. I'd recommend this to anyone the least bit interested in or familar with the Marvel universe.

The Sinister Six are still following the directives of the Gentleman, but they are getting restless to resolve his plan. Especially those who are rebelling against his authority, Doctor Octopus mainly.

Spider-Man is still besieged by doubt over the origin of Pity, the newest Six member. Implications from the previous novel in the trilogy pointed to her being his sister, but there are still considerations to support the contrary.

The story moves along very fast, and is the first among the Marvel novels really to have some graphic violence. But it is not too gratuitous, keeping in character with the murderers it is related to. Sometimes the story might seem a bit disjointed due to the narrative style of going back several minutes in time to describe what was happening off-stage, as it were. There are some twists near the end, but they are not too surprising. There is good resolution and updating with regard to the comics, as Castro fills in a bit on what the future holds for our villains after this novel occurs. The very end gives us some revelations that, to me at least, seemed tacked on. A certain character appears to provide these new insights. The only part of this interaction that I liked was the reactions of Peter and Mary Jane to finding this person in their home. Now THAT was funny.

I liked this book, as it really kept to the comic book perceptions of the characters. However, there were an atrocious number of typos, grammar errors, and just poor editing, even for a first edition like this. It really detracted from the reading experience, so my advice is to wait for a later edition; hopefully this issue will be rectified. Spidey fans should definitely like this one.

Mr. Troy-Castro has bested himself in this book. I loved the way he portrayed both Electro and Mysterio, Mysterio especially, with his illness and him being so defensive about it. But the only thing I din not like about this book is that Spidey doesn't get ... beat enough! (Come on, the bad guy should be able to get some glory once in a while!)