Originally published in 1963, this 35th anniversary edition of an American classic brought the author's name to national prominence and remains the touchstone for his subsequent career. With an introduction by the author's son, Rafael Yglesias, this highly autobiographical novel recounts three days in the life of a Cuban-American family in 1958, as they are confronted by a series of crises. A Wake in Ybor City is a richly complex, entertaining peek into the workings of Cuban-American culture that was far ahead of its time when first published. LJ's reviewer wasn't knocked out by this book when it debuted (LJ 9/15/63). With the more recent influx of Cuban refugees making their way to Florida, however, this book, which follows the reunion of a Cuban family in Miami, may find a more accepting audience now. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. The ``thirty-fifth anniversary edition'' (really, now) of the late Cuban-American writer's 1963 debut novelan authoritative though imperfectly constructed story set in Tampas Latino section (Ybor City) in 1958, on the eve of the Cuban Revolution. Its characters are the family of three aging sisters (Clemencia, Dolores, and Mina), several of whom too visibly embody varying attitudes toward Cuban nationalism, assimilation into American culture, and machismo in conflict with the power of matriarchy. The merely functional plot involves the revenge killing of a crooked cigar-maker, a plan to smuggle arms to Cuban rebels, and a child's dangerous illness, and the many lengthy argumentative scenes here are enervated by coy banalities (``When you're in love, sex is like a profound conversation''). Yglesias's grasp of immigrant family dynamics is masterly, but the stylistic assurance and narrative economy displayed in his mature fiction (Double Double, 1974, The Truth About Them, 1971, etc.) are only faintly adumbrated by this less even apprentice work. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. "A lavishly peopled story . . . told largely in dialogue, some of it very frank and fiery." -- Publishers Weekly: "A truly remarkable first novel . . . The drama is high, the pace ever increases." -- The South Bend (Indiana) Tribune "An impressive portrayal . . . A narrative of sustained dramatic interest . . . [a] skillfully written book." -- The Springfield (Illinois) Republican "Gun-smuggling, murder, radicalism, plus a rich understanding of a deeply troubled and spirited people." -- The Hollywood Reporter: "The efficiency, the speed, and the smooth order of the narrative as it runs fast to its end are extraordinary." -- Best Sellers: This edition includes a new foreword by the author's son, novelist and screenwriter Rafael Yglesias (Fearless, Les Miserables, and other works). Ybor City, Florida, seems to be a happy, secure place in 1958. Three aging sisters - Mina, Clemencia, and Dolores - look forward to seeing their children, in-laws, and grandchildren come for a pleasant visit to this quiet, blue-collar neighborhood that all three call home. But beneath the calm surface, fierce currents surge: old family rivalries, sexual intrigues, class envies, political antagonism, even borderline criminal activity. No one has realized it yet, but this proud Cuban-American clan stands on the brink of a terrible fall. Jose Yglesias (1919-1995) wrote more than a dozen widely acclaimed novels and nonfiction books. His work appeared in magazines including Esquire, The New Yorker, and The Atlantic. He was also the paterfamilias of an extraordinary literary household that included wife Helen (author of Sweetsir and other novels) and son Rafael (author of Fearless and other novels and screenplays). A Wake in Ybor City was Jose Yglesias's first novel. Used Book in Good Condition