Delito por bailar el chachachá

the long version

"Like the rhythm of the chachacha, the three short stories in this collection are marked by repetition and contrast. They all begin with the same scene: on a rainy afternoon, a man and woman are having lunch in a restaurant in the center of Havana. Each time, however, this scene is the genesis of a different love story, each corresponding to the vision of three distinct islands: the island of African rites and sacred tambours; the island of luxury hotels and American tourists; and finally, an island of communist utopia and political persecution. In this humorous, ironic and touching work, Cabrera Infante invites the reader on a journey through time, and a quest to discover the many faces of his beloved Cuba."--BOOK JACKET.