Bibliograph

La Americana, a memoir, Melanie Bowden Simón

Type

Label

La Americana, a memoir, Melanie Bowden Simón

Language

eng

resource.biographical

autobiography

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

no index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

La Americana

Oclc number

914219482

Responsibility statement

Melanie Bowden Simón

Sub title

a memoir

Summary

"'La Americana' is the story of Melanie Bowden Simon, 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 travel to 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, Simon 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 labeled a pariah state. Yet over and over again, Simon manages to overcome international barriers and overcome language and cultural obstacles-- all in the name of her love for Luis"--, Provided by publisher

Table Of Contents

Havana -- Manhattan and Tina Brown's 'Talk' -- Gringas in Castro's Cuba -- Tick tock -- Who's afraid of Uncle Sam? -- Maria Victoria and the Casa Particular -- Click clack go the tiles -- Hallmark moments -- Advanced cancer -- Devastating blow -- Old man and the sea -- Path finder -- Signs and symbols -- Castro the artist -- Good-byes -- Therapy in the garden -- Gypsy-- Freckles -- La Americana -- The Kiss -- Thirty-six hours and counting -- War -- Budapest -- A mismatched LEGO piece -- Lost along the Danube -- The Serb -- Breathe, Mel, breathe -- Lost in translation -- Wings of an angel -- You're talking, but I can't hear you -- Viva La Revolución! -- Pi-Chi! -- The real deal -- The elephant in the room -- Grim reaper -- Castro, Bush, and the racy tango -- Santo -- The lost boys of Cuba -- Starstruck -- Lockout -- To Mom, love Princesa -- Graveside -- Friends and the curious case of the speed bump -- A Havana wedding and the Canadian chickens -- Tobacco, mangoes, and the horseback Cafecito -- Acceptance -- Nooks, crannies, and saying adios -- Miami-bound

Classification