Jeff Somers is the author of
Lifers, the Avery Cates series from Orbit Books,
Chum from Tyrus Books, and
We Are Not Good People from Pocket/Gallery. He has published over thirty short stories as well. At the B&N Reads blog Somers tagged
ten books to read before your trip to Cuba, including:
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, by Oscar Hijuelos
The 1990 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction, Hijuelos was born in Cuba and was the first Hispanic American to win that coveted honor. The novel tells the story of Cuban brothers who move to America and pursue lost love and musical fame, reaching their pinnacle when they briefly appear on the TV show I Love Lucy. The brilliance of the writing brings much of early- and mid-20th century Cuban culture to life, and will inspire anyone hoping to explore that culture more deeply.
Read about
another entry on the list.
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love is among
Ted Gioia's ten best novels on music,
Lucette Lagnado's six favorite books, and
Leonardo Padura's top ten Cuban novels.
--Marshal Zeringue
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