Spared Angola: Memories from a Cuban American Childhood is a powerful and original first collection of autobiographical stories, essays and poems. The successful novelist here lays bare the makings of his conscience as a writer and human being, detailing the psychological pressure of male expectations, family gender battles, emigration and adjusting to a new culture.
Hoping to spare their only child the fate of thousands of young Cubans conscripted to fight in the revolution in Angola, Suárez’s parents left Cuba, unaware of the sentence destiny would impose instead. Suárez’s compelling piece invokes the agony and frustration borne of growing up in terminal exile and cultural limbo. From anguish and turmoil, the artist has wrought one of the most eloquent and commanding voices of contemporary American literature.
“This slim volume is studded with poetry that adds depth to the characters and action … Suárez reflects on 36 years as an outsider and on the memories—and the record of them—that kept him sane”—Publishers Weekly
VIRGIL SUÁREZ is the highly praised author of numerous works about the Cuban-American experience. They are: Infinite Refuge (2002), The Cutter (1998), Spared Angola: Memoirs of a Cuban-American Childhood (1997), Going Under (1996), Havana Thursdays (1995), Welcome to the Oasis and Other Stories (1992) and Latin Jazz (1989). He is the co-editor of the best-selling anthology, Iguana Dreams: New Latino Fiction (Harperperennial Library, 1992), the first anthology of Cuban-American writers, Little Havana Blues (Arte Público Press, 1996), and a collection of contemporary Latino poetry, Paper Dance: 55 Latino Poets (Persea Books, 2000). He is a professor of creative writing at Florida State University in Tallahassee.
