"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.