Pichon: Race and Revolution in Castro's Cuba: A Memoir: Carlos Moore, Maya Angelou: 9781556527678: Amazon.com: Books
Carlos Moore
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Moore's Jamaican parents immigrated to Cuba in search of a better life, but the author's own search took him from Cuba, where black skin and African features were despised, to the United States, where Negroes were rich and famous and powerful, and on to peripatetic global travels. He was present at historic moments around the world but oddly, takes a lackadaisical approach (in February 1960, four black students initiated what was thereafter called a sit-in... in March, the massacre of unarmed black protestors... in South Africa brought the term apartheid into my vocabulary). Moore's prose is uncommonly bland and wooden, though startling images surface occasionally; details of his teenaged sexual obsession with white women (the ultimate conquest for me) and details of his bureaucratic encounters are overdrawn. Moore's passion to reveal that Castro's limitations on the questions of race were glaring from the start is buried under too much self-absorption. According to Moore, Alex Haley told him, It's one hell of a story.... You must write a book. Perhaps in Haley's hands, Moore's story might have gained the clarity of focus and freshness of voice it lacks. (Nov.)
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Review
"Moore has written an astounding book about revolution, resistance, passion, and compassion . . . an irresistibly human tale." —Maya Angelou, from the Foreword
"Carlos Moore delves deeply into his own life to show us what is wrong—and right—with our world and our place in it. Read and marvel, but also read and learn." —Edwidge Danticat, author, Brother, I'm Dying
"Pichón is . . . a story of romance and revolution, disillusionment, discovery, and the long journey into a mature political consciousness and pride in self, told by a man I greatly admire." —Susan L. Taylor, editorial director, Essence magazine
"A masterpiece . . . an elegantly written account of the domestic and international intrigue that flows from Moore's pursuit of racial justice in the shadow of the cold war. . . . This autobiography [is] an illuminating social history of the period." —Claudia Mitchell-Kernan, vice chancellor, graduate studies, and dean, graduate division, UCLA
"Revealing the most pivotal moments of the 20th century with fervor and poignancy . . . a devestating yet redemptive account of one man's battles with racism, revolution and resistance, and his uplifting fight for justice, all of which raise consciousness about the human condition." —HavanaJournal.com
"Refreshing . . . a personal context through which to interpret the ins and outs of [Cuba's] politics." —popmatters.com
"Engaging autobiography . . . vivid descriptions . . . frankly depicted . . . uplifting." —joemadison.com
"A compelling autobiography. . . particularly timely." —Sundaypaper.com
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Product details
Hardcover: 395 pages
Publisher: Chicago Review Press; First Edition edition (November 1, 2008)
Language: English
13 customer reviews
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 starsFive StarsJanuary 9, 2017
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
One of the most memorable books, I had the pleasure of reading in college during my undergraduate studies.
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Motisola
5.0 out of 5 starsFive StarsOctober 11, 2017
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Excellent read.
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Nubianman
4.0 out of 5 starsDisclosing the "race" issue in Communist CubaJanuary 10, 2010
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Greetings, for once an individual besides myself, has shed light on the so-called issue of "race" in pre and (as well as) presently in Communist Cuba.
Dr. Moore, has disclosed [in this book] the issue of race and it's inequities that reside on the island where many "so-called" white and mulattos liberals Cubans, fail or hide to disclose the issue. I, myself (Cuban-born), described as an African Caribbean of cinnamon-brown hue, and as Africancentric Cultural Nationalist, knows of the veiled racism or the arrogance of many Cubans have towards their darker co-denizens. And although, Fidel or Raul and company, have have testified that, 'racism in Communist Cuba, does not exist." The venom of racism, either, has subsided or has never gone away, totally.
Dr. Moore, has written about his youth and post-pubescent years living in Cuba and took an issue that had to be dealt since ther Batista administartion and prior. He also writes of his epiphany of his Africanness, while in NY which shed his intelligence to view pride of his "blackness" as well as of/and about the
presences of African heros & sheroes (not Spaniards, Afro Latino/Latin. Or, Afro/Black Hispanic), in the Caribbean.
This book, should be translated into the various European languages of Spanish, French, etc.,. But mainly, many African descedant Cubans, should read this book, and take solidarity with their African descedants through the Diaspora of the race issue still existing within this Western hemisphere.
Thank you, Ali Abdul Perez
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S.johnson
5.0 out of 5 starsGreat bookFebruary 18, 2014
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It arrived in brand new condition.
It was a great book because his life was that interesting. Look at ones destiny by circumstance.
Fascinating.
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A working dialectologist
5.0 out of 5 starsFive StarsOctober 18, 2015
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Excellent, excelente!!!!!
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D. Dorsey
5.0 out of 5 starsEye Opening Account of Racism in CubaMarch 18, 2009
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I am African American and had an idealized view of Cuba. This was eye-opening. I would not have imagined that this much racism went on in Cuba. The writter's account of his own self hatred was unusually truthful and detailed. It read like a novel and was very enlightening.
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mamadou badiane
3.0 out of 5 starsRaceless Cuba: just a mythNovember 9, 2013
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I found this book very interesting because of the direct knowledge the author has about Cuban racial problems; however, it might seem too subjective from time to time.
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Rafael
5.0 out of 5 starsFive StarsNovember 3, 2014
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
Fantastic journey about Cuba Revolution!
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