{"product_id":"beautiful-maria-of-my-soul-9781538740200","title":"Beautiful Maria of My Soul","description":"\u003cb\u003eIn this mesmerizing sequel to a Pulitzer Prize winning novel, \u003ci\u003eThe Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love\u003c\/i\u003e, the \"heart-stealing heroine\" (Amy Tan) and muse of Cuban musician Nestor Castillo takes readers on the journey of a lifetime with this story of reinvention, romance, and revolution. \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In \u003ci\u003eThe Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love\u003c\/i\u003e, María is the great Cuban beauty who stole musician Nestor Castillo's heart and broke it, inspiring him to write the Mambo Kings' biggest hit, 'Beautiful María of My Soul.'\" Now in her sixties, María García y Cifuentes is the lady behind the song, living as an exile in Miami. But while she left Cuba decades ago, she has never forgotten Nestor. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e We now see the Mambo Kings' story through Maria's eyes--and as she thinks back to her days and nights in Havana, an entirely new perspective on the story unfolds. We meet her as an illiterate young woman with unspeakable, head-turning beauty who meets and falls in love with Nestor in Havana, but ultimately chooses to stay involved with a cruel, wealthy lover. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e When the Cuban Revolution intervenes, Maria and her daughter seek refuge in Miami. And as she finds community with other Cuban women and begins to take lessons at a local college, Maria finally goes from muse to the writer of her own story. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eBeautiful María of My Soul\u003c\/i\u003e is a stunning act of reinvention, and another contemporary classic from an extraordinarily talented writer. \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eIncludes a Reading Group Guide.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Grand Central Publishing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/16\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781538740200\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 336","brand":"Oscar Hijuelos","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43291183055029,"sku":"9781538740200","price":16.14,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/files\/img_cdb326a5-860d-4521-960b-2843cfb20639.jpg?v=1700541673","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/beautiful-maria-of-my-soul-9781538740200","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}