Mark Burrell’s book “The View from Havana” was unexpected in a wonderful way. I already know a great deal about Hemingway and it is hard to surprise me with information about him. Mr. Burrell’s book starts as a mystery about cars that Hemingway owned in the day and a bit about his beloved boat, Pilar, but then it moves onto a world of fresh anecdotes, conversations with people dedicated to preserving the Hemingway legacy and history, and the beauty and wonder that is Havana, Cuba, despite much wear and tear and economic hardship.
The anecdotes that Mr. Burrell relates are new to me because he – Mr. Burrell – actually lived them. He didn’t read them somewhere, then repeat them, but experienced them as he tried to get to the bottom of his research into Hemingway’s cars and boat. People he met, some of whom populated Hemingway’s time in Cuba and some who came later trying to preserve his history were all dedicated, or quirky, or resistant and I found myself chuckling regularly at Mr. Burrell’s expectations, some of which were affirmed and some of which were blown away. The book rolls along beautifully as we poke along or speed along with Mark Burrell as he tries to get his information while travelling on a shoestring, navigating Cuba’s restrictions, and trying not to be booed too badly when he gives talks about some of the wonderful things about Castro’s Cuba (Spoiler Alert: Castro is not a popular topic in Miami). By the time I was done, I could feel the Cuban breezes, see the lovely Cuban women smiling, smell the air of fishing boats near the harbors, seeing the colorful clothing, and feel myself dancing on Havana streets and in Cuban bars.
Of particular interest to me was Mark Burrell’s discussions with Patrick Hemingway. He had a friendship with Patrick that grew out of this journey and spoke to him with some regularity. Patrick was Hemingway’s second son, first son with his second wife Pauline. Conversations with Patrick who knew well the Cuban home of his father were beyond enriching. As Burrell noted, “He impressed me as someone who lived by what he demanded from others: honesty, objectivity, and fairness.” Patrick died recently and that made these conversations particularly poignant for me to read.
If you have an interest in cars, boats, Hemingway, Cuba, or just in the vibrancy of chasing down something you really need to know, do not hesitate to pick up this book. You will enjoy it. No need to be a Hemingway fan like me. It is just a darned great tale of obsession, youth, love, beauty, fun, and adventure. Highly recommend it whether you like Hemingway, hate Hemingway, have no interest, and if you would just like to get a slice of another way of living full of revelations.
So as you can see, I loved it. Kick off the shoes, and start to read. Best, Christine