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Tropicana Nights: The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Nightclub | 
 enlarge | Authors: Rosa Lowinger, Ofelia Fox
Publisher: Harvest Books
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
Buy New: $4.75
You Save: $9.25 (66%)
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Rating:  12 reviews
Sales Rank: 268359
Media: Paperback
Pages: 448
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.3 x 1
ISBN: 0156032600
Dewey Decimal Number: 792
EAN: 9780156032605
ASIN: 0156032600
Publication Date: February 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
At Tropicana you could play the roulette wheel, dance to the latest mambo or rumba, or simply ogle the parading goddesses of the flesh. It was the brightest jewel in 1950s Cuban nightlife, and Nat “King” Cole, Liberace, Josephine Baker, and Carmen Miranda performed there before audi ences that included Ernest Hemingway, Marlon Brando, and Joan Crawford. In Tropicana Nights, Rosa Lowinger and Ofelia Fox, widow of Martin Fox, the club’s last owner, take us back to its glory years. Ofelia, the “first lady” of Tropicana, shares her memo ries, undimmed by decades of exile, with Rosa Lowinger, also a Cuban exile, whose parents frequented the club in its heyday. Together, Lowinger and Fox vividly portray the cultural rich ness and roiling social problems of pre-Revolutionary Cuba and take the reader on a tour of one of the world’s most glam orous venues at its most brilliant moment.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
SUPERB ! October 3, 2008
RFP (Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, USA)
I visited the Tropicana in Havana in October, 1959... only a couple of months before the departure of Batista and Castro's entrance into Havana. While I knew virtually nothing of the 'politics' of Cuba at the time, I was aware of the tensions throughout the city. However, there are no memories of my visit to that beautiful country any more vivid that my evening at Tropicana; even though it has been fifty years (this month). TROPICANA NIGHTS helped me relive that evening and 'filled in the blanks' of history, culture, politics, and personality that were previously unknown to me.
I found the book completely fascinating. If you have an interest in the Cuba of old, this is a 'must read!'
Everything about the Tropicana and much more June 4, 2008
Robert J. Harrington
As other reviewers have said, this book is fascinating in depth and breadth and extremely well-written. The book recreates the mood and times of Havana, Cuba, and often of the US across several decades. The author exhibits tremendous balance in spite of the author's genuine affection for many of the primary players in the central drama.
"A Paradise Under the Stars" May 5, 2008
Oswald Placeres (Marrakesh, Morocco)
This is a great book written by two outstanding ladies who are the experts on the subject matter. First Rosa Lowinger did an outstanding job with her research, and Ofelia Fox Fox (widow of Martin Fox, former owner of Tropicana Night Club) with all the details that she provided. I believe that every Cuban should be very proud of these two ladies, who invested so much time to make this book, and did an excellent job too, about their Country, and the Havana night clubs. The Tropicana ranks above them all. In this book the reader will know how the night club was made, and all the people involved in making it happen. And credit must be given to Martin Fox former owner of the club. It became his obsession in making his dream come true; although I reside in Morocco I can only imagine what Cuba was like in those days. I left my country at the age of eight, and never had the chance to go near the Tropicana, I always remember the stories of the great experience it was to visit the club. Some people would associate the club with the Mafia, and corruption. Well, if the club had any connection with the Jewish and Italian Mafia, they were better off than what the current backward government has to offer today. Corruption exists everywhere in the world, and Cuba was booming with with success in those days. After all, the Jews and Italians owned most of the Hotels and other casinos in Havana, they also invested great amount of money to assist the Cuban people in making Cuba the best tourist attraction in the world! General Batista was the best president that Cuba had. In those days you did not have the poverty that you find today in the Island. We Cubans are proud of our culture and are happy people, we like the best that life has to offer.This book is a must for all the Cubans and other nationalities who do not know how Cuba was; Cuba was known as the Pearl of the Antilles. The book is also very educative, for those who want to improve their knowledge and overcome their ignorance, for example, Ofelia Fox explains the true meaning of the word guajiro, "When Roosevelt's men came to fight in our war of Independence, and they began calling the Mambises `war heroes'. Well, you can imagine that no Cuban could pronounce that, so it simply became guajiro."Excerpt from the book: Tropicana Nights, The Life and Times of the Legendary Cuban Night Club, Chapter 17, Cabaret in the Sky, page: 269.by Rosa Lowinger & Ofelia. Buy it!
While Waiting for the Movie, read this book! July 28, 2007
Israel Sands (miami, florida)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Tropicana Nights brings to life the second most famous nightclub of the 20th century, and the events of the Castro revolution. Rosa Lowinger weaves into the story just enough personal history to give context to all the larger events. Details are included when they are relevant to the story told, but the story is allowed to move along quickly, and this book is entertaining and illuminating. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to get an idea of what pre-revolutionary Havana was like, whether or not they are interested in nightclubs. My parents, who often went to Tropicana, said that the book tells it like it was. The book also includes wonderful vintage photos.
Seeing early Cuba through two women's eyes February 20, 2007
armchairinterviews.com (Minnesota)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Tropicana Nights gives the reader a sense of what life was like in Havana during the 1940s and 1950s. The Tropicana nightclub embodied the creativity and glamour of that era.
Tropicana still exists in Havana today. In the 1940s and 50s, it was a nightclub, cabaret and casino. It hosted performers such as Nat "King" Cole, Ginger Rogers and Liberace. Its audience was composed of the rich and famous, politicians and people wanting a special night out. Tropicana consistently met and raised people's expectations. The shows were legendary due to the imaginative choreography, live animals and beautiful Tropicana models.
This book is a collaboration of two women who are brought together to tell Tropicana's story. Ofelia Fox is the widow of Martin Fox who owned the Tropicana from 1950-1962. Rosa Lowinger was born in Havana but raised in Miami. As they work together on the book, some issues are raised.
Rosa and Ofelia have different views on Cuban politics. Ofelia claims that both Batista and Castro are dictators. Rosa must be sensitive about what she writes about Castro or risk being denied entry back into Cuba.
Rosa is curious about the possible Mob involvement at Tropicana. Ofelia and Martin went to Trafficante's daughter's wedding and were personally entertained by Frankie Carbo (a hit man for Bugsy Siegel in the 1930s) when they visited New York. Ofelia maintains that this was just a good business relationship. but Rosa isn't so sure. It is up to the reader to decide who is right.
There are also questions about Ofelia's relationship with her roommate (Rosa Sanchez). They have been together for more than 30 years yet when asked, Ofelia states that Rosa is a close friend but they are not a couple.
Lowinger has written a book that reads like a juicy novel. She has a great writing style, I kept turning the pages to find out what happened next. After reading the personal anecdotes and seeing the photos, I felt like I knew the various characters (the showgirls, the dancers and roulette dealers). I also enjoyed finding out what happened to everyone in recent years.
Armchair Interviews says: Come spend some time at the Tropicana and find out why it was paradise under the stars.
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