Newsmaker

Castro leads ceremony unveiling his new book

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-08-03 11:21

Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro speaks in Havana August 1, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

HAVANA - Fidel Castro presented his new book at a closed-door ceremony Monday, a work he says contains an autobiographical section and details a major military victory that sped his rise to power in 1959.

The book, "The Strategic Victory," has yet to be released to the general public. Organizers of the unveiling ceremony said 3,500 copies would be made available in coming days and 50,000 copies would eventually be published.

Related readings:  Fidel Castro meets with Chinese FM  Fidel Castro to publish new book on guerrilla life  Fidel Castro appears in rare Cuban TV interview  Fidel Castro urges US to stop 'using violence'

State television showed images of Castro's appearance at Havana's convention center, alongside his longtime official biographer, Katiuska Blanco. Wearing a red, short-sleeve shirt and appearing relaxed, Castro spoke for more than an hour, largely reading from the book and pointing out highlights to a crowd.

When he was through reading, Castro took some historical questions from the crowd, then signed copies of the book.

"I thought that this work wouldn't happen. We've been working on it a long time, and now I received this surprise," Castro said at the book reading. He said he was surprised the book is being released so quickly, in just a matter of weeks after he completed it.

The new book runs nearly 800 pages and includes maps, photos and illustrations of the weapons used during an important battle in 1958 that saw Castro's forces prevail over thousands of government soldiers in the isolated and rugged Sierra Maestra mountains in Cuba's east.

Castro says his latest book also contains details about his early life. A possible memoir by Cuba's top revolutionary has long intrigued those in publishing circles, but exactly what Castro has been willing to reveal in his autobiographical section remains to be seen.

Castro has said he is already working on a follow-up book.

Castro, whose 84th birthday is August 13, has made a string of near daily public appearances of late, after staying almost completely out of the public eye since undergoing emergency intestinal surgery in July 2006. He ceded power to his younger brother Raul on a temporary basis, then and stepped down as president for good in February 2008.