With An Innocent in Ireland (1995), David McFadden began his eccentric journeys to the heart of some of the world’s most unique island nations. Now McFadden rambles through the highs and lows of Cuba, home to cigars, Guantanamera, and of course Castro. The beautiful Caribbean landscape, along with Cuba’s rich history, culture, and uncertain future, lend themselves to the quirky eye and wry witticisms of our innocent Canadian guide.

Poking into the nation’s many corners, McFadden offers a series of vignettes of the people, cities,villages, roads, and countryside of the island the author refers to as “the most famous little country in the world.” Warm and colourful, An Innocent in Cuba is a musical, sensuous, flirtatious, joyful tribute to the Cuban spirit in all its incarnations.

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1. Sea of Happiness 
2. Two Steps Ahead of the Law 
3. Vanilla and Chocolate 
4. The Great Fascist 
5. Dedo Doloroso 
6. Stolen Notebooks 
7. El Cristo de Jilma 
8. Varadero Beach and the Battle of Ideas 
9. Santa Clara 10, Holguín 2 
10. I Am Yours Forever 
11. How the Universe Works 
12. One Short Sad Story After Another 
13. Chica chica? Chica chica chica? 
14. El Uvero, El Cobre, and the Black Virgin 
15. The Road to Baracoa 
16. From Baracoa across the Río Toa to Moa 
17. An Afternoon in Holguín 
18. An Afternoon at the Beach 
19. It’s Palma Day in Bayamo Libre! 
20. Bayamo Daybreak 
21. All Davids Are Brothers 
22. Wildfires at Sunset 
23. Heavenly Havana 
24. Sad-­Eyed Señoritas of El Morro 
25. Magic Is What You Imagine! 
26. Mimi’s Gift 
27. Two Englishmen in Havana 
28. Another Dream for Cuba 
29. My Left Earlobe 
30. A Ghost in the Air 
31. The Death of Hemingway 
32. The World Is a Handkerchief 
33. Sea of Sadness 

Epilogue 
Suggested Reading

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David W. McFadden has published over twenty books of poetry and prose, including Gypsy Guitar, nominated for a Governor General’s Award in 1987 and The Art of Darkness, nominated for a Governor General’s Award in 1984. He lives in Toronto.

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