Part memoir part history and part travelogue Havana without Makeup ... takes you places you would never find in a guide book.Mimi Whitefield Miami Herald The story Portocarero weaves here is rich and fascinating and vital to understanding an often mysterious place.Patrick Oppmann CNN Havana Correspondent and Bureau Chief Havana without Makeup is the ultimate insiders view of Havana a wideranging exploration of its complex facets as seen by few. Its aim is to capture the soul of a city and a society that have evolved on their own terms at the moment before they face inevitable transformations. Opening on the eve of the announcement of reconciliation between the U.S. and Cuba the book then looks back at the cultural political economic and religious influences that led up to this historic moment and beyond. Readers are led by a brilliant renaissance man and writer who has been at the vanguard of the citys struggles for more than twenty years. Portocareros antitourist guide to Havana examines the built environment of the most sensual ruin on the planet why are large parts of the city so neglected and what changes may we see over the coming years Examining all things Cubaniaracial issues la revolucin baseball Hemingway communism synagogues Santeria Cimarron culture and much morePortocarero overturns every stone in his endeavor to bring us inside the city he loves. Illustrated with original photographs this is a unique and essential account of Havanas history its present and what its future may hold. Herman Portocarero is a Belgianborn writer and diplomat of Spanish and Portuguese descent. He has published more than twenty works of fiction and nonfiction including the Hercule Poirot Prizewinning crime novel New Yorkse NachtenNew York Nights. Between 1995 and 2017 he was ambassador in Havana for his native country and later for the European Union where he developed a deep professional and personal relationship with Cuba Havana and her people. show more