Abe – What books did you read as a child in Cuba?
Jorge Gomez – “When I was a kid, my father was one of the favorite dads in the neighborhood because, when the electricity and lights would go (which happened often), my Dad would call us into our house. He would light candles, gather us around and tell us incredible, fabulous stories. I think for that reason, I have always preferred books that are about imaginary worlds or other realms. So, by far, my favorite books were those of Jules Verne – in particular, the big three: Journey to the Center of the Earth; Around the World in 80 Days; 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. When I got older, the books of Alejo Carpentier – who wrote fiction – AND wrote brilliantly about music, were very important to me. He is an important figure who both studied and understood the Afro-Cuban traditions of music and santería in Cuba and was also very knowledgeable about classical music. I think I remember my father telling me that somehow Carpentier was involved in bringing premieres of works of Stravinksy and Poulenc to Cuba.”