La Americana: A Memoir
La Americana is the story of Melanie Bowden Simón, who, at the age of twenty-five, left her job at Tina Brown’s Talk magazine following the death of her mother and decided to take a vacation in Havana, Cuba, with a friend. Little did she know that she would meet and fall in love with a Cuban man named Luis and dive headlong into a culture defined by beauty, humor, and grace within the unnerving realities of Communism.In this memoir, Simón details her fascination with Cuban culture as she grapples with the death of her mother. She also covers the struggle to get in and out of Cuba at a time when the country is a pariah state. Yet over and over again, Simón manages to slip past international barriers and overcome language and cultural obstacles—all in the name of her love for Luis.This book makes a great read for those with an interest in Cuban history, a zest for romance, or a passion for travel.
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La Americana: A Memoir
La Americana is the story of Melanie Bowden Simón, who, at the age of twenty-five, left her job at Tina Brown’s Talk magazine following the death of her mother and decided to take a vacation in Havana, Cuba, with a friend. Little did she know that she would meet and fall in love with a Cuban man named Luis and dive headlong into a culture defined by beauty, humor, and grace within the unnerving realities of Communism.In this memoir, Simón details her fascination with Cuban culture as she grapples with the death of her mother. She also covers the struggle to get in and out of Cuba at a time when the country is a pariah state. Yet over and over again, Simón manages to slip past international barriers and overcome language and cultural obstacles—all in the name of her love for Luis.This book makes a great read for those with an interest in Cuban history, a zest for romance, or a passion for travel.
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La Americana: A Memoir

La Americana: A Memoir

by Melanie Bowden Simón
La Americana: A Memoir

La Americana: A Memoir

by Melanie Bowden Simón

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Overview

La Americana is the story of Melanie Bowden Simón, who, at the age of twenty-five, left her job at Tina Brown’s Talk magazine following the death of her mother and decided to take a vacation in Havana, Cuba, with a friend. Little did she know that she would meet and fall in love with a Cuban man named Luis and dive headlong into a culture defined by beauty, humor, and grace within the unnerving realities of Communism.In this memoir, Simón details her fascination with Cuban culture as she grapples with the death of her mother. She also covers the struggle to get in and out of Cuba at a time when the country is a pariah state. Yet over and over again, Simón manages to slip past international barriers and overcome language and cultural obstacles—all in the name of her love for Luis.This book makes a great read for those with an interest in Cuban history, a zest for romance, or a passion for travel.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781510726536
Publisher: Skyhorse
Publication date: 11/14/2017
Pages: 232
Product dimensions: 5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Melanie Bowden Simó n has written for various business and lifestyle publications over the past fifteen years. She has a degree in journalism and served as the travel editor and writer for South magazine for two years. Simó n coauthored a book, Savannah: A Gracious City of Enterprise, for the city of Savannah in 2007. In addition, she blogged for Salted & Styled, named 2013’ s best food blog in the country by culinary legends Alice Waters and Marcus Samuelsson. She resides in Savannah, Georgia.

Table of Contents

Author's Note/Acknowledgments ix

Chapter 1 Havana 1

Chapter 2 Manhattan and Tina Brown's Talk 5

Chapter 3 Gringas in Castro's Cuba 13

Chapter 4 Tick Tock 21

Chapter 5 Who's Afraid of Uncle Sam? 27

Chapter 6 Maria Victoria and the Casa Particular 32

Chapter 7 Click Clack Go the Tiles 36

Chapter 8 Hallmark Moments 38

Chapter 9 Advanced Cancer 40

Chapter 10 Devastating Blow 43

Chapter 11 Old Man and the Sea 45

Chapter 12 Path Finder 56

Chapter 13 Signs and Symbols 57

Chapter 14 Castro the Artist 63

Chapter 15 Good-byes 67

Chapter 16 Therapy in the Garden 73

Chapter 17 Gypsy 84

Chapter 18 Freckles 86

Chapter 19 La Americana 87

Chapter 20 The Kiss 94

Chapter 21 Thirty-Six Hours and Counting 102

Chapter 22 War 110

Chapter 23 Budapest 115

Chapter 24 A Mismatched LEGO Piece 118

Chapter 25 Lost Along the Danube 121

Chapter 26 The Serb 123

Chapter 27 Breathe, Mel, Breathe 126

Chapter 28 Lost in Translation 127

Chapter 29 Wings of an Angel 131

Chapter 30 You're Talking, But I Can't Hear You 141

Chapter 31 Viva La Revolution! 144

Chapter 32 Pi-Chi! 149

Chapter 33 The Real Deal 152

Chapter 34 The Elephant in the Room 155

Chapter 35 Grim Reaper 158

Chapter 36 Castro, Bush, and the Racy Tango 160

Chapter 37 Santo 165

Chapter 38 The Lost Boys of Cuba 172

Chapter 39 Starstruck 176

Chapter 40 Lockout 181

Chapter 41 To Mom, Love Princesa 187

Chapter 42 Graveside 189

Chapter 43 Friends and the Curious Case of the Speed Bump 194

Chapter 44 A Havana Wedding and the Canadian Chickens 196

Chapter 45 Tobacco, Mangoes, and the Horseback Cafecito 209

Chapter 46 Acceptance 212

Chapter 47 Nooks, Crannies, and Saying Adios 216

Chapter 48 Miami-Bound 218

Afterword 220

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