This collection of papers presents my views on several aspects of José Martí's thought, in particular, his opinions about the United States and diverse forms of government. It also deals with distortions of Martí's life and works at the hands of some Marxist writers and politicians and others influenced by them.

The first essay is a general introduction to Martí and his basic beliefs. The second is a summary of Martí's thought on democracy. The next three contain examples of distortions of his actions and words in accordance with Marxist-Leninist doctrines. The last focuses on Martí's position regarding totalitarian socialism.

The different styles of the papers reflect the different kinds of publications or occasions for which they were written; some were originally lectures, whereas others are broad-brush commentaries or annotated studies. The book's unity comes from its subject, Martí, and the consistent purpose of its chapters: to present his thought fully and accurately.

I am grateful to the editors and periodicals that originally published these papers for permission to reproduce them,  and to all those who over the years have lent their assistance and encouragement to my studies on José Martí.