Castro Dictates a Book By Lewis H. Duiguid An assistant foreign editor of The Washington Post 41/ &/4- 7 AUTHORS, like the Government, have very little to do with these days. There is not one Book Review satisfactory book on the man who cut loose from the United States and kept it 'Castro's Cuba, Cuba's Fidel' afloat. This shortage of contemporary biography By Lee Lockwood (Macmillan, 288 pp., doubtless offended Castro's sense of history. $9.95). Two years ago he did his bit to fill the gap. Befitting a man given to eight-hour speeches, Castro dictated a book. In a recent visit to the Cuban countryside, The tape recorder belonged to Lee Lock- I encountered numerous projects that wood, an American writer-photographer began, ended, or galloped off in a new who became a friend of Castro during direction after on-the-spot decisions from several visits to Cuba since the 1959 triumph Fidel. of the revolution. (One of the incidental In Lockwood's eight analytical pages at benefits of Lockwood's latest stay in Cuba book's end, he mentions the "dangerous lack was a visa to , which he of criticism and debate" around Castro. The visited recently, coining back with pictures people closest to him "are without exception and a story for Life magazine.) those who adore him or, at the least, defer To what is essentially Castro's book, Lock- to him completely." wood contributes Lifelike photos, some Among Havana's few independent ob- description and a chapter of conclusions, servers, this is the main preoccupation for but his most effective role is as unobtrusive the future. Though Castro frequently talks interlocutor to Castro. of spreading the power of decision, the de- The resulting book is as unconventional cisions remain with him. Either he cannot as a premier who wears fatigues. The distil- find or will not endure forceful advisers, late of the seven-day interview contains a let alone executives. higher ratio of insight to cant than do It is not that he is so often wrong in his Castro's speeches. decisions; it is just that Cuba's economic Lockwood's book is aimed at the audience squeeze is so tight that the island can who would read regular informed newspaper scarcely afford any wrong judgments at all. reports on Cuba, if they were available. Among Castro's thoughts: Yet Fidel the mountain climber and cane- • After a long interchange with Lockwood cutter is so popular that the people will on the distorted reportage each country tolerate no dilution of his authority and it applies to the other, the Premier declared seems that Castro will not either. that "someday—which I do not at all believe This, of course, is also a reason for the will be immediate, but rather a great deal paucity of printed studies of the man. With of time will pass—it will have to happen the assistance of the United States, Castro that better relations exist between our two has isolated himself and his government peoples." Lockwood suggested the time from normal contacts with academicians. ought to be shortened as much as possible, It is only in this Sahara that Lockwood's and Castro replied, "I think that is reason- book takes on importance. The interview able.", took place in May, 1965, but it is still quite • Lockwood asked Castro to autograph a topical. A large portion of it was published piece of revolutionary scrip that the re- earlier, in Playboy. Castro reportedly was porter had bought for a dollar in 1958. delighted to send the CIA and State Depart- "Don't show this to anyone when you get ment Cuban experts running out to buy a back to the States—they're liable to accuse girlie magazine to supplement their U-2 you of having given money to support a sources of information. Communist revolution," said Castro. "But The Playboy text, expurgated of footnotes I didn't know that it was going to turn out added by the magazine's editors, is handed to be a Communist revolution when I bought about avidly in official Havana. it," said Lockwood. Castro's reply: "You Well it might be. It paints a picture, in- know something? Neither did L" adequate but among the best available, of • "In leading the people, have I acted in one of the hemisphere's extraordinary men. a urbimpersonal manner? Never! All the de- He has led a revolution under which, as cisions that have been made . . . Have been Lockwood puts it, "the people of Cuba have discussed among the principal leaders of transformed themselves from a political, the Revolution. Never would I have felt superficial people, fond of frivolity, into a satisfied with a single measure if it had nation of proud, dedicated, and militant been the result of a personal decision." revolutionaries, capable of extraordinary The last postulation is the least credible. sacrifice."