{"product_id":"cuba-libre-che-fidel-and-the-improbable-revolution-that-changed-world-history-9780735218161","title":"Cuba Libre!: Che, Fidel, and the Improbable Revolution That Changed World History","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe surprising story of Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, and the scrappy band of rebel men and women who followed them.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMost people are familiar with the basics of the Cuban Revolution of 1956-1959: it was led by two of the twentieth century's most charismatic figures, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara; it successfully overthrew the island nation's US-backed dictator; and it quickly went awry under Fidel's rule. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e But less is remembered about the amateur nature of the movement or the lives of its players. In this wildly entertaining and meticulously researched account, historian and journalist Tony Perrottet unravels the human drama behind history's most improbable revolution: a scruffy handful of self-taught revolutionaries--many of them kids just out of college, literature majors, and art students, and including a number of extraordinary women--who defeated 40,000 professional soldiers to overthrow the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. \u003ci\u003eCuba Libre \u003c\/i\u003e's deep dive into the revolution reveals fascinating details: How did Fidel's highly organized lover Celia S nchez whip the male guerrillas into shape? Who were the two dozen American volunteers who joined the Cuban rebels? How do you make land mines from condensed milk cans--or, for that matter, cook \u003ci\u003echorizo   la guerrilla\u003c\/i\u003e (sausage guerrilla-style)? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003ci\u003eCuba Libre \u003c\/i\u003e is an absorbing look back at a liberation movement that captured the world's imagination with its spectacular drama, foolhardy bravery, tragedy, and, sometimes, high comedy--and that set the stage for Cold War tensions that pushed the world to the brink of nuclear war.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTony Perrottet\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of six books: \u003ci\u003eCuba Libre!, Off the Deep End, Pagan Holiday, The Naked Olympics, Napoleon's Privates\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Sinner's Grand Tour\u003c\/i\u003e. His travel stories have been translated into a dozen languages and widely anthologized, having been selected six times for the Best American Travel Writing series. He is a regular television guest on the History Channel and a contributing writer at \u003ci\u003eSmithsonian Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e; his work has also appeared in \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, T+L, Outside, Surface\u003c\/i\u003e, and the \u003ci\u003eLondon Sunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in New York.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Penguin Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50543925461266,"sku":"9780735218161","price":31.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_9665a3f7-144a-432c-9559-629a6b247758.jpg?v=1731516978","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/cuba-libre-che-fidel-and-the-improbable-revolution-that-changed-world-history-9780735218161","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}