Very few authors embody the Latin American literary movement the way Gabriel García Márquez does. Even in the years following his death, the Colombian writer is still considered one of the foremost voices in literature, and one of the great writers of the 20th century.
Gabriel García Márquez's career is punctuated by some incredible masterpieces, which earned him the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. Him and his work have become legendary, similar to the likes of greats like James Joyce and Leo Tolstoy.
Márquez is a writer every bookworm should explore at least once in life, so check out these 5 books by Gabriel García Márquez you should read!
In 18th century Cartagena, a young girl is bitten by a rabid dog. She survives, but when strange things begin happening around town, it is suspected she may be possessed by demons. Locked away in a convent, the young girl is tended to by a priest, and a strange and unique love story emerges.
Set in the final days of the life of General Simón Bolívar—the man who tried to unite a continent—this fascinating tale is a skillful mix of fact and fiction. In his twilight, the General looks back at the battles he's fought, his gains and losses, his successes and failures. This is one book by Gabriel García Márquez you must absolutely read, if only to gain a greater appreciation for Latin America and its colorful history.
A story about the best and worst of human nature, and power's ability to corrupt. The magic surrealism is strong in this almost dreamlike telling of a mad Caribbean dictator's last days and descent into death. It's up to the reader to decide whether or not Gabriel García Márquez means to make the tyrant more human, or less so.
In a small Caribbean town, a poor telegrapher and a schoolgirl meet and fall passionately in love. But bliss is not meant to be theirs, and the young woman marries a wealthy doctor instead. A hopeless romantic, the poor telegrapher continues to rise in his career as he pines for her. Fifty years, nine months, and four days is how long he must wait to declare his love again.
No reading list based on the books by Gabriel García Márquez is complete without a mention of is most famous work: One Hundred Years of Solitude. Set in a fictional village, it chronicles the rise and fall of a family—from foundation to extinction. Their love, hate, sanity and insanity are detailed in this stunning epic spanning generations.
Have you are read Gabriel García Márquez before?
What's your favorite work by this author? What did you, or didn't you like?
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