Leaving Glorytown

Eduardo's young life in 1950s Cuba is idyllic. But when Castro comes to power in 1959, things change radically. There are food shortages, and Eduardo's father is sent to a work camp. Then, after waiting many years for a visa to leave the country, the Calcines family is finally freed, shortly before Eduardo's fifteenth birthday. The author narrates his memoir in a calm, weary voice. He softens it for female relatives, makes it sound appropriately silly for boyhood friends, and uses a rough tone for uncles and the authorities. Humor leavens the harshness; his family lived through a terrible time, but he was a young boy, running with friends and getting into trouble. The story stirs strong emotions, but Calcines is never overly dramatic with his writing or his narration. An author interview is included. G.D. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine