Cuban Literary Classics at the Saturday Book Event
The final Saturday Book Event of June invites readers to explore exceptional works of Cuban literature, which have long served as a reflection of the nation’s history and identity. This literature is recognized as one of the most prolific, influential, and significant traditions in Latin America.
The event will take place on Calle de Madera in Havana’s Historic Center and will feature the following titles: Las honradas and Las impuras by Miguel de Carrión; Jardín by Dulce María Loynaz; and Cecilia Valdés o la Loma del Ángel by Cirilo Villaverde. All titles are published by Editorial Letras Cubanas and are part of the Biblioteca del Pueblo collection.
Las honradas and Las impuras portray the political and social realities of Cuba during the early decades of the Republic, a time when relatively few novels were published. Miguel de Carrión is considered the most prominent Cuban novelist of that era, noted for his literary portrayal of feminine archetypes in both works. In Las honradas, the author presents “a fictional proposal whose perspectives highlight his admiration for the feminine ideal in the society of the future.”
In contrast, Las impuras critiques the hypocrisy of the Republican bourgeoisie and its secular view of women and their vilified sexuality, advocating for their full development and self-realization. Jardín, written by Dulce María Loynaz, is regarded as one of the most important novels in Cuban literature. This lyrical text explores universal themes such as love, nature, and the search for meaning. It follows the journey of Bárbara, a character who explores a garden that serves both as a physical setting and a symbolic space. The novel acts as a metaphor for Loynaz’s own life and legacy, one that earned her the Cervantes Prize in 1992, the highest literary honor in the Spanish-speaking world.
Cecilia Valdés o la Loma del Ángel, by Cirilo Villaverde, is recognized as the most iconic Cuban novel of the 19th century. A historical chronicle and a powerful critique of slavery, this work combines plot and language with a strong sense of national identity and sociological insight, as noted by the Cuban Book Institute. The novel vividly captures the customs and social realities of early 19th-century Cuba, including its social ills, the brutality of slavery, class divisions, racial discrimination, and the rise of opportunistic elites, all while highlighting the neglect of the most vulnerable.
These literary treasures will be available for purchase at the Saturday Book Event, providing readers with a rich insight into a defining period of Cuban literature and its authors. The books will also serve as valuable resources for students, scholars, and anyone interested in exploring the cultural and historical themes addressed in Cuban letters.
Translated by Luis E. Amador Dominguez
