Cuba

Cuba — marelibri

Collection of 36 Postcards Written by Cuba's Intelligentsia to an Enigmatic Lady in Havana

1903rif. 6457V.p. 1903. 36 postcards all completed in manuscript generally very good or better with some wear and rounded corners. A fascinating assemblage of cards written by Pre-Castro intellectuals to a Maria de Serra though a few are written to other women. It is difficult to pin down de Serra though we do know she was highly educated and very well-known and connected. It makes sense to us that she is perhaps the Maria de Serra mentioned by William Wells Brown in his important work The Rising Son or the Antecedents and advancement of the Colored Race 1874. On pg 260 Brown writes: "The free blacks in Cuba form an important element in her population and these people are found in all the professions and trades. .one of the best young ladies' academies at present existing at Havana is personally conducted by an accomplished negro woman Maria de Serra to whom many a lady of high rank owes her social and intellectual accomplishments." Further research may be fruitful in retrieving more information on this Maria de Serra. It goes without saying that the sentiments and signatures are the most appealing part of this collection. Many of the cards appear to contain original verse and all are quite legible and well preserved. Equally as lovely are the cards themselves many being of exceptional beauty as they were all chosen by artists and intellectuals. All in all a remarkable set worthy of further research. The correspondents are as follows: Diego Vicente Tejera; one of the most famous turn-of-the-century Cuban poets but also known as a short story writer orator and political activists. Nestor Cargonell; famous poet and writer. His son went on to become a Hollywood star. Conde Kostia pseudonym of Aniceto Valdivia; writer journalist poet critic lecturer dramatist founder of newspapers and Cuban diplomat. Rafael Maria Merchain; very influential poet and philosopher Enrique Fontanills; very prominent Cuban journalist. Florimel: great Cuban journalist writer and poet who died early in life. Manuel Raul Blanco Belmonte; Cuban poet. Ramon Meza; One of the most important Cuban writers of his time. Many of his books are considered classics and remain in print. Aurelio Cancio; Cuban journalist who founded "La Discusion" newspaper. Manuel Serafin Pichardo; one of the most popular Cuban poet of the 1900s. Frederico Mendes Cobos; a Cuban politician who became a a senator in 1902. Juan Maria Alberti: influential Cuban politician. Manuel Marquez Sterling; fine writer and politician. Jose Manuel Govin; journalist and director of the popular newspaper "El Munto" Cesar Cancio; Very popular Cuban poet born in St Spiritus. Pablo Bonachea; great Cuban journalist and director of "La Discussion" newspaper for one year. Jose Ernesto Trian; Cuban writer with political connections. Was ambassador to Venezuela. Manuel Tierso; Romantic Cuban poet Alvaro de la Iglesia. revered Cuban writer who penned the great "Cuban Traditions" Frederico Ledesma Balsunde: journalist and editor at "El Lucero." Fabio Fiallo; a leading Dominican writer poet and politician. He died in Cuba. Dulce Maria Borrero de Lujan; the most important Cuban woman writer and poet of her time. Frederico Hermida; author of any Cuban novels in the 1900s. Mariana Comas; Cuban essayist Joaquin Lopez Sena; renown Cuban poet and a politician from the 1900s to the 1920s. Eliseo Giberga; a very powerful and influential Cuban politician of the early 1900s. Manuek Coronado; an important Cuban journalist. Antonio San Miguel; Cuban writer and journalist. Pablo Santi Rois; Poet and respected journalist. Armando Celorio; One of the finest Cuban poets. Jose Maria Carbonell; famous Cuban poet and writer. Marcos Trazivark; famous Cuban writer and Musician. Esteban Joven; Cuban writer poet and essayist. Narciso de Puso; famous poet well entrenched in Cuban high society. Eduardo Mencis Capote; Cuban journalist popular among the elite. Lorenzo Frau Marsal; respected Cuban journalist . unknown books