Incident at San Miguel
Now Available
Havana, Cuba. December 1958. Two brothers find themselves on opposite sides of Castro’s revolution. One dark night, after rescuing a leader of the revolt under house arrest, one brother finds himself hunted. The other, an influential attorney, must make a choice. Help his brother, placing the whole family at risk, or let Batista’s forces capture him. His decision will haunt them both for the rest of their lives. How far will we go to protect those we love? Based on a true story, Incident at San Miguel takes us there.
Praise
“In this riveting tale of heartbreak, loss, and forgiveness, we see the Cuban Revolution in an entirely new light as several generations of a Jewish Cuban family grapple with the dreams and disillusionments of a historical moment that continues to unfold today. A wonderful collaboration between author A.J. Sidransky and storyteller Miriam Bradman Abrahams which I hope will inspire others to come forth with their Jewish-Cuban stories.”
—Ruth Behar, author of Letters from Cuba and An Island Called Home: Returning to Jewish Cuba
“Alan Sidransky’s new historical thriller, Incident at San Miguel, explores the limits of family love and loyalty during Fidel Castro’s Cuban Revolution and its aftermath. He movingly describes Cuba’s Jewish community whose members built lives in this island paradise, and now find themselves facing political terror. It’s a place and time where their very success might lead to their destruction. Through its portrayal of a fascinating and politically opposite pair of brothers, the novel is one you’ll find hard to put down.”
—Victoria Weisfeld, author of Architect of Courage
“A political thriller with many romantic aspects and a vivid portrayal of a country that had so much promise had it not been exploited by one dictatorial regime after another, Incident at San Miguel is a riveting read.”
—Bernie Bellan, Jewish Post & News (read full review)
“A twisty tale of intertwined family and politics set in a time that will soon disappear from living memory. Grab it now.”
—Albert Tucher, author of Blood Like Rain: A Big Island Mystery and The Diana Andrews Mysteries
“Sidransky transports his readers to 1959 Cuba where we meet the Cohan brothers, Aaron and Moises. They share a name and a Jewish heritage, but little else. Aaron is a lawyer and an official in Batista’s government. Moises is a communist rebel and supporter of Castro. And yet, they are brothers. It takes them a lifetime to discover what that means. Incident at San Miguel is a compelling family saga. I highly recommend it.”
—Jeffrey Markowitz, author of Hit or Miss.
“A fast, fascinating read.”
—Rabbi Michael Pont, For the Love of Judaism Podcast
“From A.J. Sidransky, author of The Interpreter, an unforgettable work of historical fiction, Incident at San Miguel is the story of two brothers who find themselves on opposite sides of Castro’s revolution…Both quickly learn that no one in their world can be trusted…At the point where Aaron seeks to leave the country with his family, I was hooked on his story.”
—Sue Littauer, Charlotte Jewish News
“The characters, their emotions, their loyalties, and their fears are all too real in this well-researched and deeply human novel of the Cuban revolution. It’s inspired by true events, and it’s inspiring in its depiction of real people, struggling in a real and changing world. I couldn’t put it down, and it’s highly recommended.”
—Sheila Deeth Reviews
Background Articles
Cuban Revolution
Wikipedia
Britannica
Political Leaders
Fidel Castro
Raul Castro
Che Guevara
Fulgencia Batista
Cuban Jewry
Wikipedia
Castro and the Jews
Moment Mag
Times of Israel
Miriam Bradman Abraham
Tablet Mag
The Jewish Star
Li Herald
Recipes
• Ropa Vieja
• Picadillo
• Cuban Style Yuca with Mojo
• Fufu de Platano, mashed Plantains—Top it with fired eggs, fried salami, or fried cheese!
• Flan