“His parents named him ‘Faithful’ after his godfather. It is a lot to live up to.”
In the twilight of his life, Fidel Castro, one of the century’s most controversial figures, reflects on his childhood, youth and student activism. In this unprecedented and remarkably candid collection, the Cuban leader describes his family background, his education at elite Catholic schools, and the religious and moral influences that led to his involvement in politics from a very early age.

These autobiographical sketches, updated with previously unpublished material, describe the young rebel’s student days at the University of Havana, his early thoughts about armed struggle, his travels in Latin America as an international student organizer, his participation in the 1948 popular uprising in Colombia and his experiences as a young lawyer and political activist.