"Approaching Cuba's revolutionary experiment with third-world socialism from a decidedly sympathetic, progressive, and anti-imperialist standpoint, Chomsky does not shy away from airing the revolution's dirty laundry even if she places most of the blame for its troubles squarely at the feet of its more powerful neighbor to the north.„ - Latin American in Focus: Cuba (ABC-Clio, 2013) “This excellent short history covers a number of themes while managing to be exceptionally insightful. Chomsky brings a balanced breath of fresh air that not only informs readers but also illuminates the topic. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries.„ (Choice, 1 August 2011)
“This fact alone makes Chomsky's volume a welcome addition to the historiography of Cuba, and more broadly, Latin America. Chomsky's book is concise (less than 200 pages of text) and highly readable, two characteristics favorable for course adoption.„ (The Americas, 1 July 2011)
“In the case of the Cuban revolution, this book fulfils that intent and appears as a useful addition to the available teaching material. Its division in chapters that can stand alone, based around the themes of economy and politics, relations with the United States, migration, culture, diversity, the special period and Cuba in the 21st century, would allow teachers to use particular sections as class material in a wide range of courses. Tighter editing for the next edition could make it more useful still.„ (Reviews in History, 9 June 2011
“An overview of the political and economic events is combined with a look at this social impact through an examination of the lives of ordinary people.„ (Times Higher Education Supplement, 24 February 2011)
“This book is a useful textbook for undergraduate students and a welcome addition to the historiography on the Cuban Revolution. I would even strongly recommend it to any tourist visiting the island since it is concise, very well written, and easy to digest." (Hispanic American Historical Review, 1 August 2012)