The Foreign Service Journal, March 2012

M A R C H 2 0 1 2 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 69 region, such as Chile, Brazil, Peru and Mexico, have also reduced poverty sig- nificantly without following the Cuban model. Though Gedda covers the basics very well, the book thins in the later chapters. He should have devoted more space to the Cuban diaspora in Florida and its large impact in Wash- ington. I would also have liked to see more discussion of the country’s suc- cesses in the arts and sports, such as the impact of Cubans on major league baseball. At the same time, his com- parison of Cuban non-commercial baseball (played like U.S. college ball) with how we and the rest of the world do it is fun even if you’re not a fan. Overall, the book’s balanced, nu- anced approach probably will not sat- isfy anyone whose views of Cuba are ei- ther black or white. But few if any an- alysts can match Gedda in his array of sources, or the humanity and sensitivity he brings to the subject. If Cuba: The Audacious Revolution has one overarching theme, it would be the lasting effects of what has hap- pened during the past 50 years of bilat- eral relations. As Gedda reminds us, we must remember the lessons of his- tory as we deal with the present and prepare for the future. (It calls to mind the dictum regarding U.S.-Mexican re- lations: “Mexicans never forget history and Americans never remember it.”) His people-focused approach, cou- pled with descriptions of how the Cuban system works (and doesn’t) and explanation of the large issues con- fronting the country makes Cuba: The Audacious Revolution a great introduc- tion to Cuba for non-experts. Yet it is also filled with stories and insights for specialists to ponder. In short, it is a fascinating book about this fascinating, if vexing country. John Maisto is a retired Senior Foreign Service officer who served as U.S. am- bassador to Nicaragua, Venezuela and the Organization of American States, and as senior Western Hemisphere di- rector at the National Security Coun- cil, among many other postings. He currently consults, speaks, writes, is on the boards of two international stu- dent exchange organizations and chairs the Board of Advisers of the American Commitees on Foreign Relations. B O O K S