Urban History

Roberts, W. Adolphe (1886-1952)

Havana: The Portrait of a City [Pre-Revolution, Cuba]

New York: Coward-McCann, Inc, 1953. Early Printing.
A vivid, sophisticated biography of Havana, capturing the Cuban capital at the height of its mid-century allure, just prior to the seismic shifts of the Revolution. 

Published in early 1953—the same year as the Moncada Barracks uprising—Roberts’ work serves as both a historical narrative and a travel guide for the discerning 'Yanqui' visitor. The text traces the city’s evolution from its founding through the colonial era to the accession of Fulgencio Batista. Unlike the ephemeral travel brochures of the era, Roberts provides a deep cultural context, exploring the architecture, the social strata, and the complex history that made Havana the most Parisian city of the Caribbean.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL FEATURES
+++ Visuals: Illustrated throughout with black-and-white photographic plates capturing pre-revolutionary landmarks and street life.
+++ Binding: Pale yellow cloth with crisp black spine titles; structurally sound and square.
+++ Imprint: Coward-McCann, Inc., New York. 1953 [Early Printing].
+++ Specs: Octavo; 8.25 inches tall; 282 pages including a comprehensive index.

CONDITION: Good / Good. The bindings are tight and square. Text is clean with light, even age-toning. The cloth shows moderate shelf handling. The original dust jacket is price-intact ($3.50) but shows typical handling wear for this title, including loss at the spine tips and corners, and age-spotting on the rear panel. A sound, honest copy of a fragile mid-century jacket.

SCHOLARLY FEATURES
+++ Historical Pivot Point: Captures the Cuban zeitgeist in 1953, providing a snapshot of the city's political and social atmosphere exactly as the Batista era was solidifying.
+++ Contemporary Reception: As noted in the New York Times (March 1953), the work was a deliberate attempt to educate visitors beyond the "nightlife and cigars" stereotypes of the time.
+++ Regional Connection: An essential title for Florida-Caribbean collections, documenting the deep cultural and economic ties between Miami and Havana during the Golden Age of Caribbean travel.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE --
W. Adolphe Roberts, a Jamaican-born writer and historian, brought a Pan-Caribbean perspective to his work. In Havana, he captures the Jai-Alai energy and colonial grandeur of a city on the brink of total transformation. For the Florida show, this book resonates with the shared maritime and cultural history of the Straits of Florida, representing a lost era of open travel and architectural opulence.

Subjects: Havana History, Cuba, Pre-Revolutionary Cuba, Caribbean Travel, Fulgencio Batista, Urban History, Florida-Cuba Relations Travel History, Regional Biography, Latin American Studies.

Item #21665

Price: $45.00