Cuban anthology 'País con literas' revisits scholarship life and memories

Granma, as the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba, presents 'País con literas' not merely as a book review, but as a cultural artifact that resonates deeply with the Cuban experience. The anthology, compiled by Roberto Ginebra Palenzuela and Joes, revisits the 'beca' system – a scholarship program that housed students, often separating them from their families. This was a formative experience for many generations of Cubans, and the book taps into that shared memory, evoking smiles, sighs, and tears.

The collection, now in its second edition, features 35 authors who explore the multifaceted realities of life as a scholarship student. The stories range from the sublime to the cruel, reflecting the complex emotions and situations faced by young people during their adolescence and early adulthood. While Granma acknowledges that the quality of the stories varies, it highlights several exceptional pieces, including works by Alberto Guerra, Leonardo Padura, and Abel Prieto. The review emphasizes that the anthology is valuable for capturing the atmosphere and spirit of a particular era in Cuba.

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Para algunos especialistas, la beca es un tema “agotado” o al menos “envejecido”; el lector podrá constatar lo discutible de esta afirmación y más de uno seguramente, durante la lectura, al recordar el primer día separado de su familia, un amor de la adolescencia o el encuentro con amistades que llegaron a sus vidas para siempre e invocar sucesos alegres o tristes que los marcaron de una forma u otra, no podrán contener una sonrisa, un suspiro y quizá hasta una lágrima.

Particularly singled out is Senel Paz's story, 'No le digas que la quieres' ('Don't Tell Her You Love Her'), which is lauded as one of the best stories about scholarship students ever written in Cuba. This story, along with others, serves to remind readers of fundamental life experiences, forgotten sensations, and the enduring impact of relationships formed during those years. For Cuban readers, this collection is more than just literature; it's a journey back in time, a validation of shared experiences, and a testament to the enduring power of memory and human connection.

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Me acerqué, nos abrazamos como por primera vez en el mundo y fuimos dejándonos caer sobre las sábanas. Empezamos a deshacer torpezas, a adivinar, a dejarnos llevar por una brisa con un fuerte olor a mar. El instinto nos guio y no nos pareció estar suficientemente abrazados hasta ver aparecer las flores (…) “Te quiero”, le dije, me abrecé de nuevo a su cuerpo y una bandada enorme de pájaros levantó el vuelo en mi mente, como una estampi