About the Book

On April 1st, 1980, a bus with hopeful asylees crashed into the Peruvian embassy in Havana, Cuba. Within 48 hours, over 10,800 people occupied every inch of the 28,000-square-foot embassy. Among them was a fourteen-year-old girl clinging to her younger brother.

Hildy’s life experiences in Cuba as a child during the Cold War and the cruelties of communism toward nongovernment sympathizers are woven into this tale of survival. Revealed emotionally as the asylees waited for either freedom, or death.

Barefoot To Freedom serves as a real-life example of the perils of collective thinking and the threat of contemporary socialism. A must-read warning of what happens when democracy is not defended.

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The book barefoot to freedom on a table with a quote from the author about the power of persistence

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I highly recommend this book, when I first started reading it I couldn’t put it down. The author portrayed a lot of emotion to where I could feel it personally, I feel like I was right there with her going through everything she was going through. It was amazing to read about her journey to freedom.

— Kathey Lopez

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I truly enjoyed this book and learned so much from every chapter, things are still happening today in 2023 in another country makes you realize not to take many things for granted. I recommend this book also for motivation.

— Rogelio Gonzalez

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This is a “must read” that gives great insights into the plight of immigrants from Cuba. The author, Hildy Valenzuela Wendtland, has a gift for capturing the imagery and emotions of her and her family’s experience. By the end of the book, you feel like you’ve known the family personally. At the end of each chapter you’ll feel compelled to continue reading and find out what happens next. This is a “must read” book for everyone to understand what families must endure to to gain freedom from dictatorships. I especially liked the Epilogue which gave insight where the family is today.

— Patty

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I don’t know what to say. I thought I’d read a chapter of two to see what was involved and I found myself up all night reading this book. I was very humbled by her story and my problems seem insignificant compared to what she went through. Thank you for sharing your struggle, welcome to America, and God bless you dear!

— Donald Walters, Jr.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This definitely pulled me at the heart strings and made me appreciate the things I take for granted on a daily basis. I highly recommend!

— Lorebna Jaramillo

Rating: 5 out of 5.

As someone who has a great admiration for the Cuban people, this book both broke and warmed my heart. We sometimes forget the good fortune of having been born in a land of freedom. Our petty complaints pale in comparison to the difficulties endured by Cubans under Castro. I highly recommend this book.

— George Swikehardt

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