The Other Side of Paradise: Life in the New Cuba

In this debut book, journalist Cooke takes readers on a remarkable trip to present-day Cuba, focusing on life in the country following Fidel Castro's 2008 resignation. Cooke lived in the country for five years, during which she met and interacted with a group of young adults who only knew life under Castro and the revolutionary government. The author's storytelling about Lucia, Carlos, Adrián, and other young Cubans will engage readers in these individuals' daily lives, desires, prospects, and dreams. Their families initially benefited from the communist government's policy changes but subsequent reforms limited their capacity to make any economic gains, and most have at least one family member who has left the country or know somebody who has done so. The narratives discuss the slight economic openings made under current leader Raúl Castro, Fidel's brother, but also the remaining cultural limitations and black market for banned literature and music. Cooke provides an insightful look into contemporary Cuban life, interweaving historical events into her writing and enabling readers to understand the challenges facing Cuba's youth and its hopes for a better life either on the island or elsewhere.