These 8 Books Will Transport You to Cuba

If you’ve ever dreamed of wandering Havana’s crumbling streets, sipping strong coffee under the shade of a palm tree, or dancing until dawn to the heartbeat of a conga drum, then Cuba is calling your name.

But not everyone can just pick up their lives and jump over to Cuba’s rum-soaked streets. So for those of us who have to dream wistfully of the sunny shores, here are eight reads that capture Cuba in all its smoky, sun-drenched complexity.

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

You can’t talk about Cuba and literature without tipping your hat to Papa Hemingway. He lived in Cuba for over 20 years, fishing, writing, and soaking up island life at his beloved Finca Vigía just outside Havana.

The Old Man and the Sea isn’t just about fishing; it’s about endurance, pride, and the soul of a man bound to the sea. Santiago, the aging fisherman, feels as real as the salty breeze on your face. Through him, you taste the brine of the Gulf Stream and feel the aching beauty of life lived close to the ocean. It’s simple, poetic, and deeply Cuban at heart.

Our Man in Havana by Graham Greene

Want a little intrigue with your Cuba? Greene delivers it in spades. Set in pre-revolutionary Havana, Our Man in Havana is a satirical spy novel about a British vacuum cleaner salesman who’s accidentally recruited by MI6. Naturally, he decides to fake his reports… using his vacuum blueprints as maps of imaginary military installations.

The result? A sharp, witty, absurdly fun romp through the eccentric world of 1950s Havana. Complete with mojitos, shady characters, and political absurdity, Greene captures the city’s atmosphere perfectly: charming, chaotic, and just a little dangerous.

Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina García

If you’re after something lush and emotional, Cristina García’s Dreaming in Cuban will pull you in like the tide. The novel spans three generations of Cuban women divided by exile and politics. Celia, the matriarch, stays behind in Cuba, while her daughters and granddaughter end up in the U.S., each wrestling with what “home” means.

García’s prose feels like magic realism entwined with memory and emotion. Ghosts drift through the pages, letters carry decades of longing, and the tension between Cuba and Miami hums beneath every scene. It’s a brilliant pick for anyone who wants to get under the skin of Cuba and those whose roots lay there.

Cuba Diaries: An American Housewife in Havana by Isadora Tattlin

Okay, this one reads a bit like a gossip-filled letter from a friend who’s just moved to Havana and is writing to tell you everything. Based on a true story, Cuba Diaries chronicles Tattlin’s years living in Havana in the 1990s during the “Special Period,” a time of major economic hardship after the fall of the Soviet Union.

Her diary entries are chatty, observant, and full of humor and candor about expat life. There’s no filter at all. She talks about the frustration of shortages, the beauty of daily Cuban life, and the strange duality of being an outsider looking in. It’s the ultimate insider-outsider perspective.

The King of Havana by Pedro Juan Gutiérrez

Now, if you’re ready for something raw, really raw, Gutiérrez’s The King of Havana pulls no punches. It’s a gritty, sensual, and unapologetic portrayal of life in the streets of post-Soviet Havana. The main character, Reinaldo, is a young hustler trying to survive amid poverty, lust, and decay.

This is Havana without the tourist gloss. Gutiérrez, often called the “Bukowski of Cuba,” captures the hunger and heat of the city’s underbelly with brutal honesty and dark humor. It’s not pretty, but it’s unforgettable.

The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos

Now here’s the one that’ll make you want to crank up the music and pour yourself something strong. The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love follows two Cuban brothers, César and Nestor Castillo, who move to New York in the 1950s and chase fame as musicians. They’re charming, messy, and absolutely bursting with rhythm, like Cuba itself.

Hijuelos writes with such warmth that you can’t help but feel like you’re right there. You can practically hear the trumpets blaring and feel the sweat of a Havana nightclub on your skin. It’s about love, brotherhood, and the ache of nostalgia when you’re far from home, but it’s never heavy. It swings, it sings, it just… glows.

Cuban Food Stories by Asori Soto

Written by filmmaker Asori Soto (who also made the award-winning documentary of the same name), the book takes you on a mouthwatering road trip across the island, from Havana’s street vendors to the kitchens of tiny mountain villages.

This one bursts with sunshine and flavor. As you flick through the pages, you’ll meet grandmothers stirring magic into black bean stews, fishermen grilling fresh-caught snapper, and families celebrating life with plates piled high with arroz con pollo. It’s joyful, sensory storytelling; part travel diary, part cultural deep dive, and part feast for the soul.

By the end, you’ll be googling flights to Havana and wondering where to find a decent Cuban sandwich near you.

Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton

Let’s end on something romantic and modern. Next Year in Havana tells two intertwined stories: one of Elisa, a sugar baron’s daughter who falls in love with a revolutionary in 1958, and one of her granddaughter Marisol, who returns to Cuba decades later to uncover family secrets.

Cleeton’s storytelling is full of passion, nostalgia, and twisty, intriguing politics. It’s got forbidden love, family drama, and a deep sense of yearning for a homeland lost and found again. If you love a good mix of history, heart, and Havana sunsets, then you’re in luck: this one’s for you.