2 Books Like Cuba Confidential

I have always liked The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. When I went to Cuba, I was able to go to Cojimar, the fishing village that was Hemingway's inspiration for this novel. Many historic things in Cuba, including the village of Cojimar, have been relatively closed off to the outside world in a perpetual time capsule like state.

Ernest Hemingway lived for a lengthy period of time in Cuba. He kept his boat, The Pilar, moored in Cojimar Bay. The local village tavern, La Terraza is referred to in The Old Man and the Sea as "The Terrace." Hemingway bonded and became friends with the fishermen in Cojimar. Even though many years have passed since Hemingway wrote this novel, not much has changed over time in Cojimar. It is still very much like the setting described in The Old Man and the Sea.

Hemingway received the 1954… show more.

Ernest Hemingway first discovered Cuba in 1928. He spent a good portion of his life in Cuba. His fondness for the island is evident in his life and in some of his writings. Most of Hemingway's time in Cuba was spent in Havana. From 1932 to about 1939, Hemingway took up residence in Room 511 of Havana's Hotel Ambos Mundos. In 1939, Hemingway became a permanent resident of Cuba with his purchase of the Finca La Vigía, a villa in the suburbs of Havana. Finca La Vigía was built in 1886 and was Hemingway's home from 1939 to 1960. Hemingway wrote many books while living at Finca La Vigía including - Islands in the Stream.

Along the north side of Cuba there are many strings of small island keys. These are home to a wilderness of coral in bright turquoise waters. Thousands of flamingos live in these untamed, verdant sanctuaries.… show more.