This Is Cuba

Fidel Castro is dead. Donald Trump is in the White House. And to most outsiders, the fate of Cuba has never been more uncertain. But those who look close enough realize the blueprints for the island's next revolution may be etched in plain view.

This is Cuba begins in the summer of 2009 when CNN offers David Ariosto, a wide-eyed, inexperienced journalist, the chance of a lifetime-a two-year assignment in Havana. Ariosto moves to Cuba with visions of covering the island in the fashion of such literary legends as Graham Greene and Ernest Hemingway. But as the realities of both Castro's police state and America's trade embargo set in, those rose-tinted lenses begin to clear up. Beyond the classic cars, salsa and cigars, lies a country that fiercely guards its Cold War persona-perhaps even more so after the death of its iconic leader. Though Wi-Fi hot spots and American tourists now dot the landscape, the fists of the regime are still up and guarding against the specter of its old nemesis, just 93 miles north. And a crisis is brewing. As American diplomats withdraw following suspected sonic attacks, the country is dealing with its biggest political transition in more than half a century. The fate of a country is up for grabs.

By looking at Cuba from the inside-out, Ariosto's personal journey helps to navigate what's in store for the island after that transition, all while under the shadow of President Donald Trump.

“"The narrative that is Cuba is never about a moment, it's about a series of moments. David captures, in fine and reflective detail, his journey through Cuba, and in the process offers gripping new insights." -- John S. Kavulich, President, U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, Inc. "An honest, gritty tale that will change the way you think about Cuba, its past, and where it's headed." -- Ali Velshi, host of "MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi"”

"Ariosto's work is at times chilling, but with a touch of nostalgia and humor..Cuba watchers should read this informative new work, as should all interested in a country that is geographically closer to the United States than some might realize." --Library Journal (starred review)

"Refreshingly aware....Vividly, ...Ariosto brings modern Cuba to life, with all its complexities and eccentric charms." --Publishers Weekly

"Ariosto's insights are plentiful, and amid erratically evolving Cuba-U.S. relations, such personal perspectives, even from a yuma, provide the best portals to mutual understanding." --Booklist

"Ariosto offers a penetrating report of a nation struggling with serious challenges." --Kirkus Reviews

"A CNN reporter/cameraman offers a firsthand account of post-Castro Cuba." --USA Today

"In distinctively vivid prose, David Ariosto offers a compelling and compulsively readable portrait of Cuba as the island teeters between communism and capitalism, embarks on its long farewell to the Castro brothers, and contemplates reconciliation with the United States. Ariosto's personal experiences, keen powers of observation, and extensive conversations with ordinary and extraordinary Cubans showcase a little-understood nation that is in the throes of change. In This is Cuba, even the island's most seasoned observers will find that they have never seen Cuba quite like this." --Daniel P. Erikson, author of The Cuba Wars: Fidel Castro, The United States and the Next Revolution and former Obama Administration advisor on Latin America

"Cuba gets under your skin in a way that few countries do but it's hard to get under its skin. Many have visited but few have stayed and tried to understand where the country is at and where it is going. David Ariosto is a lively and engaging guide to this recent tumultuous period in Cuban history that is so important on both sides of the Florida Straits." --Lulu Garcia-Navarro, host of NPR's Weekend Edition

"The narrative that is Cuba is never about a moment, it's about a series of moments. David captures, in fine and reflective detail, his journey through Cuba, and in the process offers gripping new insights." --John S. Kavulich, President, U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, Inc.

"An honest, gritty tale that will change the way you think about Cuba, its past, and where it's headed." --Ali Velshi, host of "MSNBC Live with Ali Velshi"

"If you are planning a visit to Cuba take a copy of David Ariosto's This is Cuba on your travels." --Vicki Huddleston, former U.S. Ambassador and author of Our Woman in Havana

David Ariosto is an international journalist who has worked for CNN, NPR, Al Jazeera America, Reuters and National Geographic. He is currently the Managing Editor at Brut, a new media digital publisher based in New York and Paris. Between 2009 and 2010, Ariosto was based in Havana, Cuba working as a cameraman and correspondent, and continues to make reporting trips to the island several times each year. Ariosto holds a Master's of Public Policy degree from George Mason University and a Bachelor's of History degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and step-daughter.

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