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The Sleepwalkers' Ballad: Memories of the Revolution Cuba 1952-1962

by Yolanda Ortal-Miranda; Cover Design or Artwork by Mariano Rodriguez Tormo; Edited by Keehna Sture; Translated by Denise Smith

175 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #07-1811; ISBN 1-4251-4328-8; US$22.95, C$22.95, EUR15.68, £11.85

Cuba. A love story during the last years of Batista's regime and three first years of Castro's. Political intrigues. Socio-economic Reforms. Underground resistance. Bay of Pigs Invasion. Heroism and betrayals. Kennedy/Khrushchev.

About the Book

This story of love, idealism, courage and betrayals takes place against the turmoil of the end of Batista's government and first three years of Castro's. Besides the real-life characters of Batista, Castro and "Che" Guevara, the Revolution itself is a "character," making this work both a screenplay and a presentation of documented historical facts. The book contains photos of underground fighters and Bay of Pigs combatants.

Riveting parts of this story include the attack on the Presidential Palace; the guerrilla presence in La Sierra; Castro's victory; the Agrarian, Monetary, and Housing Reforms; the government takeover of all banks and private businesses; the emergence of a strong underground movement; and the Bay of Pigs Invasion, with the often glossed-over involvement of President Kennedy.

Much of the story is presented through unbiased dialogue and dramatizations of actual events. Two real-life characters, Echeverría and Manolín Guillot – who became significant figures in Cuban history – exemplify the struggle for freedom and justice against both regimes.

Parallel to the socio-political drama is the development of the love story between the two protagonists, María and Alfredo. Alfredo believes in Castro's promises of a just Revolution and joins Castro in La Sierra, rising to the rank of Comandante. Disenchanted as he witnesses Castro's dictatorial behavior once in power, e.g., appointing himself Prime Minister, removing President Urrutia from office, and betraying the promises of a just Agrarian Reform, Alfredo and María once again join an underground movement, now against Castro, with Manolín Guillot functioning as Chief of Intelligence of the MRR, the strongest anti-Castro movement in the Island.

After the failure of the invasion, Alfredo makes an unsuccessful attempt on Castro's life. Immediately imprisoned, Alfredo is submitted to endless tortures and humiliations.

At the end, a fascinating confrontation between the tyrant, Fidel Castro, and the idealistic Alfredo, reveals the strengths and flaws of two very different human beings.

There is a Spanish version available of this book.

Visit the webpage for the Spanish version here: www.balada-sonambula.com.

Contact the author at: ayom1@aol.com to order it directly. Title: "Balada Sonámbula".

Reviews

"In The Sleepwalkers' Ballad, poetry, narrative, soliloquy, and dialogue coalesce with the heroism of an era where reality, history, and politics were blended into each other."

- José I. Rasco
Founder, Christian Democratic Movement

"The striking use of dialogue by the author, and her experiences as member of the clandestine Movement MRR give strength to the plot."

- José Duarte Oropesa
Historian

"The Sleepwalkers' Ballad uniquely captures the transformation of the romantic, beautiful Cuba of the past to the cruel Castroite state of the 60's. It makes you want to cry and scream over Cuba's tragic fate‹but it also fills you with admiration for those great souls who forever resisted. As Yolanda Ortal-Miranda so ably shows with her sensitive hand, we can never read too much about Cuba."

- Georgie Anne Geyer, Syndicated Columnist, Universal Press Syndicate
Author, Guerrilla Prince: The Untold Story of Fidel Castro

"The element of truth that permeates this work of fiction is obvious in the concise and skilfully written dialogues. They depict reality in a direct, succinct, and revealing way. With artistic expertise, the writer develops her characters through their actions. The manner in which she manages to balance intensity and restraint is impressive."

- Alicia G. Recio Aldaya, Professor Emeritus
University of New Orleans

About the Author

Yolanda Ortal-Miranda was born in Encrucijada, Las Villas, Cuba. She has a Doctorate in Philosophy and Letters from the University of Havana. She is a Professor Emeritus of the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, having fully enjoyed her career there as a professor of Spanish and Latin American Literature. She was Chair of the Foreign Languages Department until she retired in order to dedicate more time to writing.

She founded Café Teatro, where she directed Lorca's three tragedies, her own one-act version of Balada Sonámbula, and Un punto que se pierde en la distancia, a finalist in Letras de Oro. Her novel, En Noches sin Luna, won first prize in the literary contest sponsored by the Association of Critics and Commentators of the Arts, Miami, Florida.

Her poetry and short stories, in Spanish, have appeared in national and international magazines and anthologies. Her essay, "The Element of Time in Three Novels by Alejo Carpentier," was awarded second prize by CEPI (New York). Her collection of poems, "Pisadas en El Tiempo, La Angustia y La Esperanza," was a finalist in the literary contests of the City of Barcelona, Spain, and CEPI, in New York.

Her passion for travelling has brought her to South America, Mexico, Europe and China. She loves nature, whether it be the Yumurí and Viñales Valleys or the forest of Soroa in Cuba; the majestic Grand Canyon, the West Coast and Alaska in the United States, the Norwegian fiords, or Guilin and the Li river in China.

Excerpts