John Glynn: A Novel of Social Work (1907)

Fabian Della Torre, reaching NY as the new Cuban Ambassador at the United Nations, recalls his teenage time with the Sierra Maestra Revolution, falling in love with the late Maria Sierranita. A University teacher, author candidate to the Nobel Prize, a catholic patriot non-communist, he, instead, is the cousin-protege of the Dictator El Dardo Duarte. Entangled with the great American pianist Brenda Ashley (a counterpart of Sierranita), he starts a close friendship with Thais Osaki, as he rejoins his Cuban friend Lorenzo Balmaceda, famous lyric singer. Soon he brakes with his wife Isla-Rosa. Criticizing the embargo, Fabian attracts powerful enemies from both sides -the Cuban Secret Service and a CIA hidden Division, planning to erase the Island. Suffering three attempts on his life, he is slightly wounded (the plot insinuates him as a predestinate), but Thais falls in a coma. Among the turmoil of a possible World War III, Fabian flies to Brazil. Manzolillo draws strong characters in a realistic psychological style, with some magic flavor.