Cuban leader Fidel Castro, whose 736-page autobiography -- Fidel Castro: My Life -- was released in the United States in January, lauds author Miguel de Cervantes in the book and states that his favorite character is none other than Don Quixote.

Indeed, it seems that Castro -- born Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, the son of a prosperous Spanish immigrant and the servant he had taken as a mistress -- fancies himself a Quixotesque figure.

Although in ill health and no where near achieving the 'dream' of his 1959 revolution, Castro shows no signs of flagging in his belief that he will ultimately prevail -- even if only from the grave.  "Our enemies should not delude themselves; I die tomorrow and my influence may actually increase," the dictator writes.  "I may be carried around like El Cid -- even after he was dead his men carried him around on his horse, winning battles."

The book is coauthored by Ignacio Ramonet and is published in the U.S. by Scribner.