Havana Blues — David Pereda

Published by CUSTOM BOOK PUBLICATIONS .. The year is 1952. Ramon Rodriguez's life as a youth in fun-loving Havana is filled with typical and mostly pleasurable activities, concerning girls, sex, education, religion, baseball, parties, and hanging out with friends. The country is enjoying a period of prosperity and happiness under President Carlos Prio Socarras â€" until General Fulgencio Batista stages a coup that topples the government and Ramon's life is flung into chaos. In a few short years, the carefree fifties morph into a vicious and repressive dictatorship highlighted by corruption, organized gambling, school closures, student demonstrations, police brutality, and assassinations. As Ramon experiences his first romantic relationship, graduates from school and struggles to plan for an uncertain future, he is forced to make important decisions that may be dangerous to him, his family, his friends, and his girlfriend â€" the beautiful Sonia â€" and could turn deadly. A provocative, compelling story of old Cuba!