What do you think?
Rate this book
Ninety Miles and a Lifetime Away: Memories of Early Cuban Exiles
Rare accounts of Cuban migration in the words of the exiles themselves
Bringing together an unprecedented number of extensive personal stories, this book shares the triumphs and heartbreaking moments experienced by some of the first Cubans to come to the United States after Fidel Castro took power in 1959. Ninety Miles and a Lifetime Away is a moving look inside fifteen years of migration that changed the two countries and transformed the lives of the people who found themselves separated from their homeland.
David Powell presents interviews with refugees who left Cuba between 1959 and the 1962 Missile Crisis, as well as those who embarked on the Freedom Flights of the late 1960s and early 1970s. During these years more than 600,000 Cubans migrated to the US, some by way of other countries and many arriving in Miami with only a few clothes and pocket money. In their own words, exiles describe why they left the island, how they prepared for departure, what situations they faced when they arrived in the US, and how they integrated into American life.
Offering historical background that illuminates this pivotal period in the context of the Cold War, Powell shows how the US government's Cuban refugee assistance program had far-reaching effects on refugee policy, bilingual education, and child welfare programs. The testimonies in this book include new information about low-cost "Cuban Loans" that enabled young exiles to attend US colleges, preparing many to be builders and leaders in their adopted country today.
A powerful portrayal of the initial effects of a revolution that began a new era in Cuba's relationship with the world, this book preserves rare accounts of the motivations and struggles of early Cuban exiles in the words of the emigres themselves, adding gripping detail to the history of the modern Cuban diaspora.
Publication of this work made possible by a Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Bringing together an unprecedented number of extensive personal stories, this book shares the triumphs and heartbreaking moments experienced by some of the first Cubans to come to the United States after Fidel Castro took power in 1959. Ninety Miles and a Lifetime Away is a moving look inside fifteen years of migration that changed the two countries and transformed the lives of the people who found themselves separated from their homeland.
David Powell presents interviews with refugees who left Cuba between 1959 and the 1962 Missile Crisis, as well as those who embarked on the Freedom Flights of the late 1960s and early 1970s. During these years more than 600,000 Cubans migrated to the US, some by way of other countries and many arriving in Miami with only a few clothes and pocket money. In their own words, exiles describe why they left the island, how they prepared for departure, what situations they faced when they arrived in the US, and how they integrated into American life.
Offering historical background that illuminates this pivotal period in the context of the Cold War, Powell shows how the US government's Cuban refugee assistance program had far-reaching effects on refugee policy, bilingual education, and child welfare programs. The testimonies in this book include new information about low-cost "Cuban Loans" that enabled young exiles to attend US colleges, preparing many to be builders and leaders in their adopted country today.
A powerful portrayal of the initial effects of a revolution that began a new era in Cuba's relationship with the world, this book preserves rare accounts of the motivations and struggles of early Cuban exiles in the words of the emigres themselves, adding gripping detail to the history of the modern Cuban diaspora.
Publication of this work made possible by a Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
326 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2022
4 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 4, 2022
Ninety Miles and a Lifetime Away is a highly readable account of the Cuban migration that began when Fidel Castro seized power in 1959, ultimately transforming South Florida. Powell combines the memories of those who lived through it with his own research to present a big-picture story that I found very interesting.
Growing up on the West Coast of Florida, I was very aware of the exodus from Cuba thanks to news reports, but it seemed like something happening very far away except for when we had the Cuban Missile Crisis and everybody talked about building fallout shelters.
I never knew any Cuban immigrants/exiles until I went to the University of Florida, where they were among the super achievers. Everybody at UF back then was aware of star wide receiver Carlos Alvarez, whose memories are part of this book. I remember hearing him interviewed on the radio, speaking in perfect, unaccented English. I knew the late Raul Ramirez who was editor of the student newspaper, The Alligator, when I worked there.
I appreciated the way the book filled in many of the gaps in my understanding of history. I liked the contributions from historians and journalists, but I especially enjoyed reading the thoughts of Generation 1.5--those who were born in Cuba but came to the U.S. as children. Many came as unaccompanied minors. The stories of their fears and sadness at family separation are poignant.
The Cubans, especially the more educated people in the first wave, succeeded in building productive new lives in Florida and elsewhere, thanks both to their own hard work and initiative and to generous U.S. government subsidies. They brought a tremendous boost to the South Florida economy, but they also changed its culture dramatically, which many people resented. It's interesting to read this account in light of our current debates about immigration. Who should we let in and how should we help them?
Growing up on the West Coast of Florida, I was very aware of the exodus from Cuba thanks to news reports, but it seemed like something happening very far away except for when we had the Cuban Missile Crisis and everybody talked about building fallout shelters.
I never knew any Cuban immigrants/exiles until I went to the University of Florida, where they were among the super achievers. Everybody at UF back then was aware of star wide receiver Carlos Alvarez, whose memories are part of this book. I remember hearing him interviewed on the radio, speaking in perfect, unaccented English. I knew the late Raul Ramirez who was editor of the student newspaper, The Alligator, when I worked there.
I appreciated the way the book filled in many of the gaps in my understanding of history. I liked the contributions from historians and journalists, but I especially enjoyed reading the thoughts of Generation 1.5--those who were born in Cuba but came to the U.S. as children. Many came as unaccompanied minors. The stories of their fears and sadness at family separation are poignant.
The Cubans, especially the more educated people in the first wave, succeeded in building productive new lives in Florida and elsewhere, thanks both to their own hard work and initiative and to generous U.S. government subsidies. They brought a tremendous boost to the South Florida economy, but they also changed its culture dramatically, which many people resented. It's interesting to read this account in light of our current debates about immigration. Who should we let in and how should we help them?
December 2, 2023
Got another copy so I could finish the last 2 chapters. I can tell this was really well put together and I really appreciated the blended approach of factual information interspersed between all the first hand accounts. There was good variety in the people interviewed for this book too I didn’t feel like it all pointed to only one viewpoint which initially I had been worried about.
July 26, 2025
I learned a lot from this book. I lived in Miami from 1966 until 1979. The woman who took care of
my children was a US citizen whose father had a business in Cuba so she grew up in Havana. She then married a US citizen who ran a business in Cuba. They left sometime in the 60's. But, she never said much about her life there, except they lived an upper middle class life with servants, etc.
Most of the people who were interviewed for this book were also upper class. They went from luxurious houses with servants to living in crowded apartment. Many left with just the clothes on
their back. Many thought their stay in the US was just a temporary thing until the US was able
to oust Castro. They were shocked and disappointed when that didn't happen. How did a country
with an elite military like the US mess up the Bay of Pigs so disastrously.
I didn't know about the Peter Pan flights where parents sent their children by themselves to
US hoping to avoid them being indoctrinated into the Castro system and/or just to have a better life.
Sometimes the parents were able to follow years later. Many Cubans spent time in Spain or other
countries before they were able to make it to the US.
Some of the earlier immigrants were not happy with the later arrivals such as the Mariel boatlift
group. Many black Cubans did not migrate to the US because they knew how racist it could be here.
The Cubans were given many benefits that other immigrants did not receive because it was during
the cold war and anything anti-communist was considered highly.
The author acknowledged that this book did not address the Asian or Black immigrant, but said there might be another book.
my children was a US citizen whose father had a business in Cuba so she grew up in Havana. She then married a US citizen who ran a business in Cuba. They left sometime in the 60's. But, she never said much about her life there, except they lived an upper middle class life with servants, etc.
Most of the people who were interviewed for this book were also upper class. They went from luxurious houses with servants to living in crowded apartment. Many left with just the clothes on
their back. Many thought their stay in the US was just a temporary thing until the US was able
to oust Castro. They were shocked and disappointed when that didn't happen. How did a country
with an elite military like the US mess up the Bay of Pigs so disastrously.
I didn't know about the Peter Pan flights where parents sent their children by themselves to
US hoping to avoid them being indoctrinated into the Castro system and/or just to have a better life.
Sometimes the parents were able to follow years later. Many Cubans spent time in Spain or other
countries before they were able to make it to the US.
Some of the earlier immigrants were not happy with the later arrivals such as the Mariel boatlift
group. Many black Cubans did not migrate to the US because they knew how racist it could be here.
The Cubans were given many benefits that other immigrants did not receive because it was during
the cold war and anything anti-communist was considered highly.
The author acknowledged that this book did not address the Asian or Black immigrant, but said there might be another book.
January 17, 2023
This is a fascinating compendium of oral narratives from dozens of early Cuban Exiles following Castro's revolution in 1959.
Author David Powell acknowledges that "Ninety Miles and a Lifetime Away" isn't a full historical accounting. But it's full of enriching and sad stories told by the people who lived the diaspora, including years of separation of minor children from their parents. And the writer fills in enough historical background to give you a tremendous grasp of what happened.
I was barely alive when the revolution happened, but I remember a lot of people complaining about refugees taking over South Florida, probably from the 1980 Mariel boatlift. While the book puts that event in perspective, this is really about the early exodus by the Batista allies who ran for their lives as thousands were executed or imprisoned and others whose businesses and jobs were seized by the new regime as it grew closer to the Soviet Union. And simply those who were tired of constant revolution.
I didn't know or had forgotten the tremendous help the refugees received from the US government, as well as the Jewish community, remembering their own diaspora.
The book is timely considering the debate today over immigration.
Author David Powell acknowledges that "Ninety Miles and a Lifetime Away" isn't a full historical accounting. But it's full of enriching and sad stories told by the people who lived the diaspora, including years of separation of minor children from their parents. And the writer fills in enough historical background to give you a tremendous grasp of what happened.
I was barely alive when the revolution happened, but I remember a lot of people complaining about refugees taking over South Florida, probably from the 1980 Mariel boatlift. While the book puts that event in perspective, this is really about the early exodus by the Batista allies who ran for their lives as thousands were executed or imprisoned and others whose businesses and jobs were seized by the new regime as it grew closer to the Soviet Union. And simply those who were tired of constant revolution.
I didn't know or had forgotten the tremendous help the refugees received from the US government, as well as the Jewish community, remembering their own diaspora.
The book is timely considering the debate today over immigration.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews