Intrigued by tales of his parents’ long-ago journey to the pre-revolutionary “Pearl of the Antilles,” award-winning photographer Byron Motley traveled to Cuba more than a decade ago and instantly fell in love. Year after year he has returned with his camera to explore its vistas, its people, and its spirit.

Forgoing the political imagery that has dominated American media, Motley highlights the many ways in which Cubans retain and nourish their zest for life despite the scarcity of every day. Through his vivid photographs, readers discover the real Cuba: its heart-stopping architecture and infectious music, its cars seemingly teleported from the past, its love of baseball so fierce as to be nearly religious, and the joy of community and the unexpected juxtapositions of life in the last bastion of communism in the Western world.

Even before the easing of travel restrictions, Motley’s personal relationships with key dignitaries provided him with unprecedented access in Havana, allowing him to capture the allure, the mystique, and the vibrant essence of Cuba.