Books : In Cuba I Was a German Shepherd
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by: Ana Menendez
Binding: Hardcover
EAN: 9780747270850
Format: Import
ISBN: 0747270856
Label: Headline Review
Manufacturer: Headline Review
Number Of Pages: 224
Publication Date: June 07, 2001
Publisher: Headline Review
Studio: Headline Review
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Beautifully written, but repetitive
This book is a collection of short stories, all of which involve Cuban expatriates, and many of which have characters in common. All the stories have a tone of melancholy or even desperation, and all deal with themes of loss--loss of husbands, wives, parents, and children, and especially, loss of a homeland. Each story makes beautiful use of language, but they are mostly the sort of stories in which nothing much really happens: a husband can't sleep because he imagines that his wife is unfaithful, ... Read More
Rating: - A Varied Collection of Variable Quality
These eleven short stories with recurring characters range from the comic opener to the darkly sinister "The Perfect Fruit" to the almost Argentine magical realism of "Miami Relatives." There are many flashes of brilliance, such as this from "Miami Relatives":
"The Aunt Julia climbs to the top of the table and holds her arms out for silence. 'Today I ate the sun,' she says. 'The darkness was delicious.' We sit staring at her until she opens her mouth and blinds us."
Or ... Read More
Rating:  - Not my kind of book
I can definitely see how some people would enjoy this book, but it didn't do much for me. I felt some stories were too long winded, especially the one where the husband is having a sleepless night and keeps worrying about his wife's faithfulness to him. It was torture trying to get through that and other stories. Sure, the author could write beautifully, but I didn't feel like I learned anything from the stories or the novel as a whole. A disappointing read.
Rating:  - Amazing Imagery
This book completely caught me off guard with its beautifully still scenes of intense imagery. I can't recommend this book enough to people who love authors who have almost a lyrical style. The plot is complex and many of the chapters seem to suspend time in the air. Not arrogant or showy at all, the book is intricately beautiful and a phenomenal piece of art.
Rating: - A voice for a people of exile
Ana Menendez does a fantastic job expressing life as an immigrant. Through humor and uncanny examples and spanish phrases any Cuban is all too familiar with, she brings a sense of nostalgia with her words that reach and communicate not only to the Cuban people but to any group of people anywhere in the world. Fantastic read!
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