Richard Henry Dana 
To Cuba and Back 

This book presents a great background to the social conditions in 19th century Cuba which led to the revolution in 1959. It tells about Cuba of 1887. At the time, Cuba was heavily dependent on Spain, did not have self-rule but had high taxes to support the bureaucracy sent out from Spain to rule the island. It is very interesting from a historical perspective. Also, it allows drawing analogies with the current state of things. Many researchers recommend this book as a key to better understanding the policy of the country today.