The Tribe

The Tribe: Portraits of Cuba by Carlos Manuel Álvarez is an acclaimed work of literary reportage that offers an intimate, multifaceted portrait of contemporary Cuba during one of the most transformative periods in its recent history. Originally published in Spanish as La tribu, the book combines journalism, memoir, and narrative nonfiction through the Latin American tradition of the crónica—a genre that blends factual reporting with literary storytelling. Rather than presenting a conventional political history, Álvarez captures the lives of ordinary and extraordinary Cubans, revealing a nation shaped by resilience, contradiction, and constant change.

Across nineteen interconnected essays, Álvarez profiles athletes, artists, dissident poets, musicians, nurses, migrants, black-market traders, political activists, and everyday citizens navigating life in post-revolutionary Cuba. The narratives unfold against major historical events, including the restoration of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States, the death of Fidel Castro, and the emergence of the San Isidro Movement. Written with lyrical prose and keen observational insight, The Tribe offers a deeply human account of identity, exile, freedom, memory, and survival, making it one of the most important contemporary books on modern Cuba.