Marielitos, Balseros and Other Exiles

A panoramic portrait of the Cuban community in South Florida, Marielitos, Balseros and Other Exiles reveals the joys, tragedies, and amazing resiliency of the Cuban immigrants who arrived in the United States via the Mariel boat lift of 1980 (marielitos) and the "rafters" (balseros) who came a decade later. From those who assimilate successfully to those who literally die trying, you will not be able to forget the all-too-human characters in this unforgettable collection.

Cecilia Rodriguez Milanes is professor of Latino/a literature and writing at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Her short fiction has been anthologized in Iguana Dreams: New Latino Fiction (HarperCollins), Did My Mama Like to Dance? and Other Stories about Mothers and Daughters (Avon Books) and New World: Young Latino Writers (Bantam).