Today marked the birth of Dora Alonso (1910-2001). She was born Doralina de la Caridad Alonso Pérez in Máximo Gómez, Matanzas, Cuba, on December 22, 1910. Alonso was a multifaceted writer who worked in both print and radio. As a journalist, she served as a war correspondent for Bohemia during the Cuban Revolution. She has written novels, short stories, poetry, theater, and children’s literature. She is also the creator of Pelusín del Monte, Cuba’s national puppet.
Her literature for children and young readers are still read in the elementary school curriculum in Cuba. Some of these are La flauta de chocolate, El cochero azul, El valle de la Pájara Pinta, Teatro para niños, and Once caballos. Her many well-known works include her novel Tierra inerme, her testimonial work El año 61, and the short story collections Agua pasada, Ponolani, and Gente de mar.
For full article, see http://www.cubanow.net/pages/loader.php?sec=7&t=2&item=662
For interviews with Dora Alonso, see http://www.soycubano.com/pena/literatura/dora_alonsoi.asp and http://www.trabajadores.cu/news/2009/1/13/dora-alonso-como-un-mapa-de-cuba
Repeating Islands 
I knew her brother very well. I was five years old when I moved next to her brother Raul Alonso for whom I developed great love and admiration. he was like a grandfather to me as well as his wife. He suffered a lot the country’s polical transition.
I never listen to them talking about Dora. Although she was indeed a great writer she sold her soul to comunism and forgot about her family like a wild rebel. I don’t think she was such a good person.
That is totally wrong , i knew the Alonsos family and all of them love Dora , i was born 5 houses from David Alonso the Doctor and they a really good family