JOURNEY BACK INTO THE VAULT
In Search of My Faded Cuban Childhood Footprints
Mario Cartaya
Xlibris US (232 pp.)
$31.99 hardcover, $2.99 e-book
ISBN: 9781664199293
February 25, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Themes of family, perseverance, and culture characterize Cartaya’s memoir in this debut.
The author begins his story with a dedication to his father, a hardworking man who led his family to safety in Miami, Florida, amid the chaos of the Cuban revolution. The simple, powerful tribute indicates Cartaya’s resolve to tell his story with unadorned honesty. As a young boy living in Cuba, Cartaya enjoyed a carefree childhood surrounded by family until their political exile following his father’s defiance of military orders to hand over his company’s ledgers. Forced to flee in 1960, the Cartaya family left behind loved ones, traditions, and the only life they knew, with no choice but to abruptly assimilate into American culture. Feeling isolated and invisible, Cartaya created a tightly sealed “vault” of painful memories and a deep longing for home which remained unopened until 56 years later, when, as an adult, he felt ready to examine his past and find himself in the process. The memoir is divided into seven parts—one for each day that Cartaya spent in Cuba on his return visit. During these long, eventful days, Cartaya and a small crew of loyal friends retraced the steps of Cartaya’s childhood. They visited old family homes, the graves of beloved family members, historical sites, and beautiful beaches, each location evoking bittersweet memories. Exploring his past and present through evenly paced and forthright prose (as well as a handful of photographs, likely taken by Cartaya and his immediate family) to help the reader visualize Cartaya’s life then and now, Cartaya takes the reader on a journey of “memories, identity, humanity, and sentiments” from his childhood. He also provides small glimpses into current Cuban culture and politics. Many readers will relate to his urge to find himself and perhaps be inspired to revisit their own childhoods as they read along: “If your path through individualization…is usurped by an event so powerful that it changes the trajectory of your life, thrusting you into a new reality where the truths you once built your life upon no longer apply, then what becomes of you?”
A satisfying and heartwarming autobiographical voyage.
Journey Back into the Vault: In Search of My Faded Cuban Childhood Footprints
by Mario Cartaya
Xlibris
book review by Michelle Jacobs
Cartaya captures the heart of the Cuban diaspora in this moving memoir of his return to the country of his birth after fifty-six years. Born in Havana in 1951, The author fled the country with his family eight years later. This traumatic upheaval has had repercussions throughout his life, both for him and his family. He has found great success in America, but when travel to Cuba became possible under the Obama administration, he felt the pull of his homeland. He embarked on a return journey with the desire to visit the places from his childhood with the hopes of finding closure, connection, and calm.
This chronicle of his trip to Cuba with three faithful friends is rich with descriptive details of neighborhoods, cultural sites, and natural wonders. As Cartaya moves from place to place, he uncovers joyful and painful memories buried deep inside the vault of his heart and mind. Cartaya dedicates an engaging chapter for each day of his seven-day trip. In each place he passes through, he narrates stories from his past and reflects on the present. Along the way, he makes peace with his past and seems to find comfort as he meets his younger self on the streets of Havana.
Deeply nostalgic and searching, Cartaya’s writing is honest and enthralling. He writes with clarity and thoughtfulness and bravely confronts the heartbreak caused by historical forces beyond his control. His search for closure is admirable and always tinged lovingly with joy as he celebrates the best of Havana with his friends in nightclubs, restaurants, and beaches. Cuban coffee, music, and culture are all on display as Cartaya also serves as a knowledgeable travel guide for a newly opened Havana.
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