Ada Ferrer, a New York University historian, provides a sweeping narrative of Cuban history from the arrival of Columbus through the present, examining how the island has shaped and been shaped by global forces over five centuries. Ferrer traces Cuba's development as a Spanish colony built on slavery, its late struggle for independence, its revolution and transformation into a Communist state, and its ongoing complicated relationship with the United States. The book pays particular attention to the role of race and slavery in Cuban history, showing how the island's demographics and economy were fundamentally shaped by the forced labor of enslaved Africans. Ferrer examines how Cuban independence struggles intersected with debates over slavery and race, how the 1959 revolution promised racial equality while creating new forms of inequality, and how race continues to structure Cuban society. She draws on decades of research in Cuban archives and her own family history, providing both scholarly rigor and personal perspective. The book demonstrates how events in Cuba have repeatedly influenced developments far beyond the island, from the Haitian Revolution to the Cuban Missile Crisis to contemporary immigration debates. Essential reading for understanding not just Cuba but the Caribbean, the Americas, and the complex legacy of colonialism and slavery in the modern world.