Getting There

As a young man coming of age in Havana in the late 1950s, Oscar Cano was initially intrigued with Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and the revolution. But along with the revolution came an economy in shambles, government suppression of all political dialogue, widespread poverty, and a lack of basic educational and job opportunities available to most Cubans.

Over time, Oscar became disillusioned with what he perceived as even more authoritarianism from Cuba's leadership under Fidel Castro and the violence against political opponents of the revolution. In 1964, at the age of twenty-six, Oscar also decided to leave Cuba. Making his way to the United States was never far from his mind. He abandoned the cargo ship he was working on and arrived in Costa Rica. Homeless and facing an unknown future, what was he thinking?

Finally, in 1984, he arrived in Miami with a family in tow. Their journey was far from straightforward, and this gripping family saga lasts several decades. He and his family eventually settled in Baltimore. Oscar is confident that there's some purpose to his life, and he has made good decisions. But his activism to stop a massive development project nearly gets him killed, his daughter's scrambled-up life and his son's tragic accident threaten to topple their lives. An eclectic cast of secondary characters, including a professional basketball player, a classical guitarist, and a young man infatuated with Oscar's daughter, adds depth to the plot. They've all made choices in their lives, and the outcome may surprise.