Since Fidel Castro staged a coup half a century ago and assumed power of Cuba in 1959, the United States has been obsessed with this small island nation, only 90 miles south of the Florida Keys. America's fixation on Cuba has only grown due to the large waves of Cuban immigrants and Castro's larger-than-life persona. Today, the Cuban exile community within the United States has grown so powerful that they have played a major role in American politics for decades. But because of the country's isolation, the island and its people have remained a mystery. Cuba is among the most literate countries in Latin America, with a literacy rate of 99.8 percent. Its healthcare system compares favorably with those in developed nations, and life expectancy ranks third in the Americas, behind only Canada and Chile, and ahead of the United States. In 2006, Castro transferred powers over to his brother, Raul, who has promised to remove some of the restrictions that have limited the average Cuban's daily life. This revised edition of Cuba takes readers through the country's storied history, its people, and what the future holds for this island nation.
An updated edition of the acclaimed field guide to the spectacular birds of the West Indies Birds of the West Indies is the first field guide that covers and depicts all birds known to occur in the region, including infrequently occurring and introduced forms. Now fully updated and expanded, this stunningly illustrated book features detailed accounts of more than 600 species, describing identification field marks, range, status, voice, and habitat. There are more than 100 beautiful color plates that depict plumages of all species—including those believed to have recently become extinct—as well as distribution maps, a color code for endemic birds, and an incisive introduction that discusses avifaunal changes in the West Indies in the past fifteen years and the importance of conservation. Covers more than 60 new species, including vagrants, introductions, and taxonomic splits Updates the status of every species Features illustrations for all new species and improved artwork for warblers and flycatchers Color codes endemic species confined to one or just a few islands Includes many new and enhanced maps Provides bird weights for each species Compact and easy to use in the field
Since 2000, this traveling journalist/poet/musician and writer went to Cuba in search of the music of the Caribbean Islands. He took lessons from a Cuban master. His encounters with musicians, Afro-Cuban percussionists and rappers, brought him close to the “real” Cuba. His love for Cuban music and percussion instruments comes to life this book. The book also includes never before published photographs of Che Guevara.
Issue your students a passport to travel the globe to Cuba! Units feature in-depth studies of Cuba's history, culture, language, foods, and so much more. Reproducible pages provide cross-curricular reinforcement and bonus content, including activities, recipes, and games. Numerous ideas for extension activities are also provided. Beautiful illustrations and photographs make students feel as if theyre halfway around the world.