The Chinese in Cuba, 1847-Now

The Cuban Chinese story has been told as fragments of historical tragedy and growing irrelevance. Gregor Benton has now given us voices that tell us how some Chinese managed to make a difference. -- Wang Gungwu, National University of Singapore
Given the authors' unique personal experiences and the title, this book will attract readers seeking answers to a major question: why and how did the Cuban Chinese community, a result of migration and hard work of more than one century and once the most active overseas Chinese community in Latin America, cease to exist shortly after the 1959 Cuban Revolution?.... The Chinese in Cuba, 1847-Now stands as a significant contribution to the discussion on Chinese in Cuba up to 1959.... Overall, the book should be recommended to all readers concerned with the connections between East Asia and the Caribbean in the 19th and 20th centuries. * China Quarterly, December 2009 *
This book is a wonderful example of historical recovery. García and Eng tell the largely forgotten story of the Chinese who came to Cuba in the middle of the nineteenth century to work as coolies. They reveal the remarkable role played by them in Cuba's struggle for independence and for socialism as well as their important contribution to the country's economic development. Above all, they demonstrate the vital input made by the Chinese into forging the vibrant mix of cultures that is modern Cuba, outlining in absorbing detail their influence on music, painting, theatre, food, sport, and language. Gregor Benton offers an enlightening and erudite introduction and the book concludes with some fascinating original documents. -- Stephen Anthony Smith, European University Institute
This book is a good resource for scholars researching the history of the Chinese in Cuba. Mauro García Triana, a historian and former Cuban ambassador, and Pedro Eng Herrera, a Cuban artist and writer of Chinese descent, have assembled a wide-ranging compendium of information about the history of the Chinese in Cuba. Covering everything from culture to labour to business, this book contains encyclopedic information on what seems like every detail the authors could gather about the Chinese in Cuba. Those looking for analysis of the materials presented may be disappointed, but it is to be hoped that this work of historical recovery will help others to flesh out the stories of the Chinese in Cuba. * Bulletin of Latin American Research *
Overall, the essays and appendices included in The Chinese in Cuba, 1847-Now are, undoubtedly, a great source of information on the Chinese presence in Cuba for specialists in the topic. * Chinese Review International *