The Golden Age

Ricardo Herrera

Language: Spanish
Title: La Edad De Oro (The Golden Age)

Author: José Martí.

Publisher: Biblioteca Nacional

Year: 2009

Summary

La Edad De Oro, or 'The Golden Age', was a book written by famous Cuban poet José Martí. During his long life in New York, and in the process of preparing a revolution to free Cuba from the abuses suffered by the Spanish Empire, Martí never forgot about the "hope of the world." He managed, with a remarkable effort, to publish his work of literature for the prosperity of America. In this book, Martí teaches the children  how to be real men, who can speak clear and wise words. Marti’s work demonstrates to the American children how people lived before their time, and how  they lived today in America and in other countries. 

Not only Marti teaches about how things are made of glass, steel, and electricity  but  how bridges hang in suspension. He shows the children how everything is done in the workshops. He explains that these things are more interesting and creative than what you know about magical tales. Martí's story educates the children’s hope in the world, in becoming better men later in their lives; hence, the future  is in their hands.

Recommendation

I suggest to everyone to read this book, La Edad De Oro or “The Golden Age.” This book can serve as an important lesson to all of us, especially children. Furthermore, ‘The Golden Age” should be read by all parents to their children because it consists of wonderful and very educating stories. Lastly, this book also teaches good values that we all should have in order to live in peace and harmony.

The Ballad of Mary Abdala

Image: Google

Luz Gamboa

Language: Spanish

Title: La balada de María Abdala (The Ballad of Mary Abdala)

Author: Juan Gossaín

Publisher: Planeta Year: 2003 Image: Google

Summary 
The Ballad of Mary Abdala is a novel was written in the style of Colombian magic realism. It reflects the experience of a Lebanese couple, who immigrated to the Caribbean at the beginning of the 20th century. The reading is narrated by their son. He tells the history of Mary Abdala, which includes describing her characteristics. Mary was a charismatic woman and loved  by all her neighbors.  She came with her husband to the town of San Bernardo de Viento when their country was suffering   from violence. They didn't speak a single word of the Spanish.   They eventually became very important of the village. Mary Abdala, mother of four children, was a faithful wife and a dedicated mother. She was beautiful and had a strong personality. She revolutionized the town. Her good personality attracted all kinds of men   as well as generated unpredictable disasters. While Mary and her husband held  their customs of their mother country, they were still able to   achieve a lovely relationship with the locals.  The couple understood the cultural differences and won the affection and respect of the locals. They considered a Colombian Caribbean, mainly San Bernardo del Viento, a piece of  their native land.

Recommendation

Maria Abdala is a non-fiction, poetic novel. . It represent a style of magical realism and anachronistic description of the characters by the writer. The novel is a reflection about death, old age, and life. It relates to the evolution of love and life in different situations and places.

In Love With The Bad Girl

Lorena Espinoza

Title: Travesuras de la niña mala (In Love With The Bad Girl)

Language: Spanish

Author: Mario Vargas Llosa

Publisher: Santillana USA Publishing Company

Year: 2006

Image: Google

Summary

In this book, Ricardo sees his dream come true at an early age: “to live in Paris”.  The problem started when he met again with his first love (The bad girl).  That moment changed everything. The woman (Lily) was a nonconformist, adventurer, pragmatic and naughty. She led him far from his ambitions. Both characters will see their lives intertwine around dream cities like: London, Paris, Tokyo and Madrid. They will find each other and lose each other, and that situation increased the intensity of this love story. The bad Girl always escaped him, and was always playing with his feelings.  However, Ricardo loved her and he always followed her until the end. Finally, Lily got cancer and Ricardo took care of her on her last days.

Recommendation

This book is perfect for those who believe in true love.  Mario Vargas Llosa (The winner of 2010 Nobel Prize) plays in “In Love with The Bad Girl” with reality and fiction to tell about a real love story that show us how love is undefinable, can be painful, takes away pride and has a thousand faces like “The Bad Girl”. This story has a wonderful mix between tragedy and comedy. This book will prove that true love exists.

The Witch

Lia M. Padilla

COUNTRY: Colombia

TITLE: La Bruja (The Witch)

AUTHOR: Germán Castro Caycedo

PUBLISHING COMPANY: Planeta

YEAR 1994

Summary

Amanda is a woman born in Fredonia, Antioquia.  She felt a strong attraction  to witchcraft. Amanda learned to become like a witch through stages,  skills were reinforced  through learning from different people who appeared in her life. Amanda learned to read:  the cigarette, a the chocolate cup,  and the handkerchief until  she was able to make burials and to work the vudú. She was a teacher of vocation, belonged to a recognized family. Amanda was able to relate with people of great power, among them was a recognized gangster of that time, Mr. Jaime Builes. Mr. Builes returns with an amount of money, which gave him sufficient spending power to buy the best properties of the town, like the club where only the best families of Fredonia could enter. Amanda met the Antioquia’s governor and later became great friends based on the subject of witchcraft.  Through her friendship with the governor, she knew very influential people  in the Colombian public life.  Amanda had a direct bonding with the Colombia’s president,; who contracted her and  sent her to Bogota to do some “Little works”  for him. One of the mentioned works was in love the Governor’s son with the President’s daughter, and also a multimillionaire business with very influential people of this country. Also, the author talking about the great meetings with important people. That were made in Jaime Builes house. They attended very important characters of the Antioquian political life and where money was greatly wasted, to the point of  giving out gold pens  as a  reminder of celebrations.

Recommendation

I recommend this book because it gathers many factors of Colombia in the 70’s and 80’s; like drugs, politics and witchcraft. It is a very entertaining novel in which the author manages to link these three elements and show the reality of our Colombian history.