Natural Cuba/Cuba Natural [Paperback]

Natural Cuba / Cuba natural . . . is a wonderful little bilingual book providing an excellent overview of the natural history of Cuba, a subject little known to those in the United States. The well written and entertaining text covers a wide variety of animals endemic or native to the Island including crocodiles, boas, lizards, frogs, native mammals, birds, marine and terrestrial invertebrates, insects, and reef dwelling fish. Also included is a brief review of the extinct fauna of Cuba and an Appendix linking scientific names to their English and Spanish counterparts. Beautifully illustrated throughout with over 100 exceptional color photographs of animals and habitats. -- SERPENT'S TALE 1998

First of its kind for Cuba, this book is full of eloquent jewels-historical, cultural, literary, and biological. Moreover, the writing is not only authoritative, it is positively felicitous. A joy to read. Anyone interested in knowing and saving wild Cuba should start here. -- Michael E. Soulé, founder, Society for Conservation Biology and author

I am especially pleased by the appearance of Natural Cuba because we have long needed a well illustrated summary of the Cuban fauna. But beyond that, I am delighted that the book will appear in both English and Spanish-breaking the embarrassing tradition of having much of Latin America's natural history described in English. Alfonso Silva Lee is to be congratulated on his pathbreaking accomplishment. -- Paul R. Ehrlich, Stanford University Population Ecologist and author

I didn't know this, but it's possible to write books about Cuba that do not use the phrases "missile crisis" or "CIA assassination plot." The only crises in naturalist Silva Lee's book Natural Cuba/Cuba natural (Pangaea) are environmental; apparently Cuba used to have an extensive mammal population, which became extinct about the time our special species of mammals appeared. His book is a thorough natural history filled with the wonderful pictures you'd expect in such a tome. Who knew snails could be so beautiful? -- CITYPAGES - Minneapolis/St Paul, Best Bet, December 30, 1997

Naturally, it was much needed--a work that gathered, for posterity, the diverse Cuban flora and fauna, one warning what could be lost in the future, if not preserved in the present. Natural Cuba/Cuba natural, written by Cuban biologist Alfonso Silva Lee, is the latest product of an editorial house based in St. Paul, Minnesota, dedicated to documenting the natural history of the Americas. "What we hope from this book is that it will create an awareness of the island's wonderful natural legacy, and of the fact that it must be protected," said the editor from St. Paul. "This does not mean that Cuba cannot develop, but this has to be done with great care." -- MIAMI HERALD/El Nuevo Herald, December 1, 1996

The genesis of this book was a National Public Radio show one Saturday morning on "All Things Considered." The hour-long special, narrated in part by Cuban author and biologist Alfonso Silva Lee, included interviews with experts about Cuban ecology from the island as well as from major US institutions. All were in agreement: Cuba is a remarkable natural treasure to be preserved. As economic pressures have increased on the island, however, it has become apparent that there is little knowledge among the general citizenry or North American public about Cuba's wealth of indigenous species. This book--the first since the mid-19th century to provide an overview of the island's natural history--is directed at providing much needed information to conserve this fragile place.