Cuba on the Edge: Short Stories from the Island

"Cuba on the Edge" presents recent short stories by twenty-one of the best writers on the island. The title refers both to Cubans' awareness of living on the brink of an unknown future, and to the edginess with which they negotiate their way through uncertainties. These twenty-one perspectives reveal very diverse responses to the challenges of daily life. Some stories are set in Havana, while others depict rural or small town Cuba. Many analyze gender roles and gender politics, as well as depicting economic stress and ingenious coping strategies. Some tales are dark, while others are hilarious. Some voices remember the past, and others imagine the future. Many stories address controversial topics: prostitution, crime, exile, disillusionment, skepticism. But the predominant tone is of reaffirmation of human ties and survival, and of celebration of the complex strata of Cuban experience.Mary G. Berg, Pamela Carmell and Anne Fountain, who have assembled this collection, are professional U.S. translators and teachers. They first met in Havana in January 2000 at a gathering of U.S. and Cuban writers organized by Writers of the Americas and the Cuban National Union of Writers and Artists, and have been translating the work of contemporary Cuban writers ever since. "This anthology, superbly translated, offers a broad sample of the rich literature produced in Cuba since the demise of the Soviet Union. The content is controversial (as well as being insightful and provocative), and the literary quality of the stories is excellent. The collection represents a timely introduction to the vibrant narrative found on the island today, and complements the superb cultural experience found in contemporary Cuban cinema, music and dance." John M. Kirk, Dalhousie University