Take heart, Humberto. Did you see the reviewer's next book. She's probably gonna discover that the surge worked.

You're right, Humberto, all that they had to do was talk to any Cuban on a street corner in Miami or Union City. These non-Cuban Cuba experts and scholars are a bunch of idiots! But, hey, what do you expect? These are the same people who cite statistics on the "accomplishments" of the "revolution" given to them by Cuban regime as if they were citing the most pristine, impeccable source imaginable. These are the same people who have invalidated anything that comes out of Miami by calling it "exile rumors," or worst "exile hysteria." Let's not forget when Cubans told the Kennedy Administration about missiles in Cuba, Washington discarded the information as nothing more than "exile rumors." They had to see it with their own eyes in order to believe it. This is the history of Cubans in the USA.

I thought the review seemed to at least assert the fact of the middleclass/elite support, whereas most media would have said "The author claims that...".

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But Cuba's independence was stunted by the heavy-handed United States, which doubted that the republic (over half of whose population was black or mulatto) could govern itself. The United States aided Cuba's fight but then re-occupied the island in 1906 at the request of the feckless Cuban president, Tomás Estrada Palma.
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Linda Robinson is author in residence at the Merrill Center for Strategic Studies at the Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies. Her new book, "Tell Me How This Ends: General David Petraeus and the Search for a Way out of Iraq," will be published in September.
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Though I cannot say that I have had the opportunity to evaluate the contents of this book which she, the reviewer, has penned, does anyone else find at least something telling in the title she chose for her own book? circumspect, that it is lefties who are always so fond of statements such as the former of quotes, which possess so much intonation, or, said frankly; so much suggestion. leftist agenda always seeks to exacerbate sohpisticated strongholds about America, pursuant that common/racial American sentiment in history; "WAS"/IS/Never Changed , yet they pecksniffishy engender illicit proclivity to disenfranchisement in the very deliberate way they acquiesce to continued parlance of racially and culturaly divisive rhetoric, consumated by the strokes of their very own pens. their illative agenda is cunningly egotistical, and grossly void of sincerity. few things are more poignant then to behold predaceous politcal exploitation of your own countrymen and women, save of course for exploitation of their life and liberty as well, but what do we Cubans know about any of that?

Children, children can we lighten up just a tad. Do you sincerely expect people to know Cuban history, even many Cuban-Americans don't know Cuban history. How many times have you sat next to a guy in a plane and had to explain that while you are Cuban you really don't like Che Guevara or that Che isn't even Cuban.

The reviewer said that "contrary to popular perception" Castro got bucks from rich and middle class. Uh...guess what? That is the popular perception, not just outside of our little enclave but even amongst many in Miami who didn't live it or are junkies like us. Why blame the author and reviewer for everyone else's ignorance?

Yes, it is also often "overlooked" that the rich backed Fidel. Nothing controversial about that. The reviewer does not say that she did not know any of this - she's just reporting on common misconceptions. What is the big frickin' deal. Get off your high horse and don't slap away an outstretched hand.