Cuban News Agency

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The book is a compilation, in nearly one thousand pages, of conversations
between Fidel and writer and journalist Katiuska Blanco. It opens with the
Cuban leader’s memories of his childhood and closes in December 1958, just
before the triumph of the Revolution.

The presentation took place in a nice, relaxed atmosphere and lasted about
six hours, during which Fidel enthusiastically took his time to greet
personally a number of attendees, among which were old comrades from the
Moncada military action and the Granma expedition, and relatives of the
five Cuban anti-terrorist fighters imprisoned in the U.S.

The volumes were presented by Cuban Culture Minister Abel Prieto and the
president of the Association of Cuban Writers and Artists, Miguel Barnet,
whom Fidel followed attentively as they recounted some of the anecdotes on
the book.

The material is a piece of work of the Casa Editora Abril Cuban publishing
house and the Federico Engels printer’s, with photos and drawings by
Ernesto Rancaño, who also designed the cover.

Open to conversation and to answer questions from the audience, Fidel
spoke about many things: the praiseworthy battles fought by students in
Latin America and the rest of the world over their rights; tremendous
scientific discoveries and emerging technologies; the risk of shale gas
and the fabulous perspectives of nanotechnology.

Fidel told the audience he reads hundreds of press releases every day;
devours all the information he gets; follows closely the situation in
Venezuela commemorating February 4 the 20th anniversary of the military
uprising led by Hugo Chavez.

He also spoke about the threats hanging over Syria and Iran, while the
U.S. and Europe are trying to convince Russia of the “ridiculous” idea
that the antimissile shield was laid to protect that country from the
threats of Iran and North Korea.

Writer Graziella Pogolotti, president of the Alejo Carpentier Foundation
started the round of questions and told Fidel that he should continue
writing about his experiences as a fighter and his meetings with world
personalities.

Fidel said he is willing to do everything possible to pass on “whatever he
remembers well”, and added: "I’m aware of the importance of writing all of
this to pass it on, so that it can be useful.”

Likewise, Fidel took advantage of the presence of relatives of the Cuban
Five to ask them about the current situation of the men who have been
unfairly imprisoned for 13 years now.

In closing the meeting, Fidel regretted that time had run out; he
remarked: “I felt very happy, but I like to collaborate with the doctors
(who take care of him). And, just to the record, I don’t do it as an act
of courage but as an act of intelligence.”

As they walked out of the room, Fidel spoke of the phone with Rene
Gonzalez, one of the Cuban Five, who had called his wife, Olga Salanueva
–attending the presentation.