The Cuban Revolution made heroes of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, but their iconic status can obscure the fascinating reality of these events. Unraveling the drama behind the battles, Tony Perrottet introduces these scruffy revolutionaries—many of them just out of college, and including a number of extraordinary women—who defeated 40,000 professional soldiers to overthrow the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Delving into the tragedy and comedy of the struggle, Perrottet reveals: How did Fidel's lover Celia Sánchez whip the guerrillas into shape? Who were the two dozen American volunteers who joined the rebels? And how do you make land mines from condensed milk cans?