This striking volume contains more than 200 images (including 32 pages of color photographs) of contemporary Cuba, leaning more toward the portrayal of people and daily life than to landscape or travel photography. Many of the images--such as that of a 1950s-vintage U.S. auto parked in front of a brightly lit house during the wee hours--are very memorable. However, the author's heavy reliance on high-contrast effects makes his black-and-white images especially gritty, leading the reader to conclude that Cuba is a bleak place indeed. From the evidence of his skills, Watson is far too good a photographer to have loaded the deck in such a questionable way. Annotation 2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
