Banned in Cuba
Fuera del juego
Publication: La Habana [Havana, Cuba]: UNEAC [Unión de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba], 1968. First Edition.
Notes: A first edition of a controversial collection of poetry that ultimately led to Padilla being arrested for crimes against the Cuban Revolution.
This book won the 1968 Premio Julián de Casal for poetry, but even before it was published, the book's revolutionary credentials were challenged, leading UNEAC to add a 16-page section justifying the prize and the judges' decision. It wasn't enough to convince the government and after nearly three years of debates and allegations, Padilla was arrested and spent a month in jail. Upon his release, he denounced his own work and that of other artists who were not sufficiently revolutionary. He left Cuba in 1980.
In the Spanish-speaking world, Fuera del juego is one of the best-known books of Cuban poetry from the 1960s. It has been reprinted many times in many countries, but not as yet in Cuba.
[ii: blank], 110, [7], [1: blank] pages.
SOURCE: Another book from a friend of mine who collects Latin American literature and sometimes sends me his duplicates. I recently asked him about another book he sent me because I was having trouble sorting out who the publisher was. He realized that I had a variant copy and that it wasn't actually a duplicate, so I'm going to send it back.
Edition + Condition: First edition (first printing, stating "primera edición opposite the title page). A near fine copy in brightly decorated wrappers (paperback).
Item No: #364204
Price: $200