Part I. Idealism, 1952-1970. History will absolve me: the rebellion, 1952-1958 -- Fatherland or death! Setting the revolution's foundations, 1959-1962 -- The ten million will happen: expanding socialism, 1963-1970 -- Part II. Personalistic institutionalization, 1971-1990. We must turn the setback into victory: Sovietization, institutionalization, and the expanding Cuban diaspora, 1971-1985 -- Now we are going to build socialism: crisis and rectification, 1986-1990 -- Part III. Survival, 1991-2013. Socialism or death! The long special period, 1991-2000 -- This revolution can destroy itself: Cuba at the dawn of the new millennium, 2001-2011 -- Rectify and change ... all that should be rectified and changed: transitions, elections, and successions, 2011-2013 -- Conclusion: rewinding the threads in the labyrinth -- Epilogue: you are my friend