“I Was Never The First Lady stitches together threads of island and identity until they became one and the same. . . . Guerra’s own unpredictable book is haunting, complicated, [and] linguistically beautiful.”—New York Times“This is Wendy Guerra at her best. . . . Unforgettable.”—Jon Lee Anderson, author of Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life

Growing up in Havana, Nadia spent her childhood honoring icons of the Cuban Revolution. Her parents’ sacrifices promised her generation a way forward, but Nadia, now an adult, feels stuck. When she’s presented with an opportunity to leave Cuba and move to France on a fine arts grant, she is energized to define her hazy personal history. But the journey won’t offer easy answers.Why did Nadia’s mother, the bohemian poet Albis Torres, leave Cuba and Nadia behind when she had invested so much in their future? And who really was Celia Sanchez—emblem of the revolution, embodiment of Cuba’s modern woman, and Nadia’s creative muse? The farther Nadia travels, the more she comes to understand the country she has left behind—where past, present, and future are inextricably linked. Nadia’s story transforms into the story of three distinct Cuban women and their relationship to politics, power, and self-potential.Through bold, sensual prose, I Was Never the First Lady brings a vibrant vision of Cuba to the page, offering an intimate look into a rarely visited period. Wendy Guerra melds autobiography and fiction to produce a dazzling novel overflowing with humor, poetry, and profound vitality.Translated from the Spanish by Achy Obejas